San Antonio Fair, Inc. (San Antonio, Tex.)

HemisFair '68 was the only world's fair in 1968 sanctioned by the Paris-based Bureau of International Expositions, and the first world's fair ever to be held in Texas. In December of 1962, the San Antonio Fair, Inc. incorporated and formally began planning, lobbying, fund raising for HemisFair '68. The fair, held in downtown San Antonio, Texas, was open for six months from April 6, 1968 to October 6, 1968. Attendance at HemisFair '68 was estimated at 6.4 million people. Approximately twenty governments and ten corporations participated and sponsored educational and entertainment pavilions for the fair focused on the theme "The Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas." Hosting and constructing HemisFair '68 had a broad impact on San Antonio, including fostering urban renewal in the downtown area, retail development along the River Walk, and expansion of the local tourism industry.