100th Anniversary of the Panama-Pacific Int’l Exposition (PPIE)

February 20, 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE), the World’s Fair celebrating the completion of the Panama Canal and showcasing San Francisco—its recovery from the ashes of the 1906 earthquake and fire and its world trade potential.

Throughout 2015, the PPIE100, a citywide consortium of cultural, civic, and historical organizations, will conduct centennial programs to commemorate the PPIE’s historical significance and to reflect on its legacy. 

> View all PPIE 2015 Events – tons of them are free.

About the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE)

On February 20, 1915, the gates were thrown open to the Panama Pacific International Exposition, the official opening celebration of the newly completed Panama Canal. Hailed by some as the most wondrous world’s fair of all time, the PPIE boasted 635 acres of palaces, gardens, exhibitions, art and music, amusements, livestock shows, feats of daring, and innovations that heralded the future. Historic figures from all walks of life visited the fair, along with more than 19 million others during its nine month run. The PPIE also proclaimed San Francisco’s miraculous rebirth after the 1906 earthquake and marked California’s emergence as an international powerhouse and player on the Pacific Rim.