C E L E B R A T E  8 8 !
Your Australian World Expositions Connection
- Celebrating Brisbane's World Expo '88 and Australia at World Expositions -

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Entertainment

World Expo '88 over it's short span of 184 days brought some of the best talent and entertainment the world could find to Australia's shores. A complex and varied Entertainment program was developed - that encompassed not only street performances on the Expo's boulevards and avenues, but also rock, pop, opera, theatre, circus, lasers, fireworks, waterskis and water shows, dance, weightlifing, wood chopping, lumber jacking, marching bands, daytime and night parades, magic shows, the 'Expo Oz' Show and more.

Whilst the Entertainment Division of the Expo Authority was responsible for co-ordinating the entertainment at the several on-site venues - from the large performance 10,000 seater River Stage, jutting out on the Brisbane River with the Brisbane City skyline as the background; to the intimate Warana Amphitheatre - with seating for 300 - under the gentle shade of one of the Expo sun-sails; to the circus and European plaza fun of the Piazza - with it's colourful emblazoned sun motif design; it also had a much larger portfolio - at the nearby and newly opened Queensland Performing Arts Complex - where the 'World Expo on Stage' program - the largest arts and entertainment program in Australia's history - took centre stage.

And, there was also the thrills and turns of World Expo Park - a hi-tech amusement park adjoining the Exposition site - where one could party on far beyond the Expo's nightly closing time of 10.00p.m. - and - (free entrance with Expo admission) on a pay-per-ride system one could experience the high-G's of the semi-obscured whirlwind ride of the 'Supernova'; the tight double-barrelled loop of the iconic 'Titan' roller-coaster; the more traditional bumper-to-bumper car rides; as well as a 24-hour professional recording studio where one could - karaoke-style - record by oneself or with friends - renditions of your favourite pop songs and so on.

Originally designed to become a permanent fixture after the Exposition's conclusion - World Expo Park later gave way to the development of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre - which now stands on the former Park site.

Information collated on this page is courtesy of Ric Birch - Head of the Entertainment Division, World Expo 88; the official photograph-essay commemorative publication of the Entertainment Division - 'That's Entertainment' - by Official Photographer for the Division, Brett Cochrane Productions; as well as the daily entertainment pages of the 'Expo Today' columns and feature stories of the official World Expo '88 Newspapers - Brisbane's 'The Courier Mail' and 'The Sunday Mail'.


Opening Day
Warana Amphitheatre
Aquacade
Expo City Marching Band
Lasers & Fireworks
'Food!' - The Expo '88 Day Parade
'Hermaphro - Queen of the Night' - QANTAS Light Fantastic Night Parade
The Space
Young at Heart
Piazza
River Stage
Walkways
BP Waterski Spectacular
Expo Theme Weeks
World Expo on Stage
Closing Day

'The Best of the Best'
Celebrity Speakers Forum
A Daily Guide to the Entertainment and Attendance Figures at World Expo '88 - from 'Expo Today'

World Expo '88 at the Queensland Cultural Centre

Questions? Answers? Would you like to contribute
                  your story and/or photograph to this page? Click here
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World Expo Park (includes Map)

Link to World Expo Park Photos - www.rcdb.com - 'Roller Coaster Database'
Link to Australian Amusement Fanatics Web-Site www.australianamusementfanatics.com

Further Details - Entertainment at World Expo '88

"That's Entertainment", by Photographer Brett Cochrane
Release Date 1988 - Publisher Brett Cochrane Productions

Limited to 5,000 editions. A photographic journey into the Entertainment World of World Expo 88, by official staff photographer, Brett Cochrane. Also includes in depth vignettes by key entertainment-related official staff.

Highly recommended.

Not in publication - Occasional copies can be found for sale on eBay, or through second-hand book dealers. Alternately read the work at the State Library of Queensland (Dewey Number GSB 790.209943 1988), or order it through participating Australian Inter-Library Loan Request.

"Master of the Ceremonies : An Eventful Life"
by Ric Birch
[Autobiography]
Release date September 2004 - Publisher 'Allen & Unwin'

A stellar introduction into the life and career of internationally-renowned events entrepreneur Australian Ric Birch. Features chapters of his work as Head of the Entertainment Division of World Expo '88, and the joys and surprises of his work co-ordinating the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Brisbane 1982 XIIth Commonwealth Games, as well as the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games; the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games; and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

A must-read for anyone interested in mega-events and event management.