Skip to content

Cool Souvenirs from the World’s Fair

Sure, they’re kitschy now, but back in 1962, these items were hot property.

By Seattle Magazine Staff January 12, 2012

memorabiliaopen

This article originally appeared in the February 2012 issue of Seattle magazine.

1. Champagne glasses (with Space Needle stems) used on opening night of the fair

2. A ticket book, with individual tickets for fair exhibits

3. An official Space Needle beanie, whose top shakes like a maraca

4. A commemorative egg timer on a piece of wood (of course!)

5. Porcelain salt and pepper shakers

6. A full-size paper parasol—definitely not rainproof

7. A bullhorn (for shouting “Go Monorail?”)

8. Collectible lapel pins

9. A Jim Beam Space Needle liquor decanter

10. A chauvinistic ashtray from the naughty “Show Street” section of the fair

11. A 9-inch tall chrome Space Needle lighter—invented by Rick Steves’ family friend

12. One of many commemorative plates

 

Follow Us

Barnes & Noble Is Coming Back to Downtown Seattle

Barnes & Noble Is Coming Back to Downtown Seattle

The bookseller will open a new flagship at 520 Pike, marking the largest retail lease in downtown Seattle since 2020.

Barnes & Noble is returning to downtown Seattle for the first time since early 2020. The national bookseller has signed a 10-year lease for a new flagship at 520 Pike Street, a 29-story tower, taking over 17,538 square feet on the corner of Pike and 6th Avenue. The store is expected to open in the…

Le Petit Chef Makes a Big Splash in Seattle 

Le Petit Chef Makes a Big Splash in Seattle 

The immersive, whimsical dining experience debuts at the Kimpton Palladian Hotel.

At a recent dinner, I sat across from a friend, smiling as a tiny orange-and-black butterfly landed on my empty plate. Just inches away, a small figure in chef whites and red boots strolled out of a greenhouse with a rake perched over his shoulder. He then proceeded to work a patch of dirt, plant…

A Citywide Toast to Sockeye

A Citywide Toast to Sockeye

40 Seattle-area restaurants are teaming up for the fourth annual Bristol Bay Salmon Week.

Seattle’s fishing culture is something to be proud of. Drive over the Ballard Bridge on any given day and you’ll see the fleet docked below. The weathered, working boats stacked with gear, waiting for their next trip north, are striking, aren’t they? It’s hard, dangerous work, and there’s something so compelling and fierce about the…

Restaurant Roundup: Halal Bagels and Mario Party

Restaurant Roundup: Halal Bagels and Mario Party

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.

OK, we’ll say it—we love Seattle Restaurant Week, but it also gives us a little bit of anxiety and a lot of FOMO. There are just so many choices. Hundreds of restaurants, food carts, cafes, and bars can be a tad overwhelming, but 10? That’s a much more manageable number. Thankfully, Secret Seattle put together…