A Memorable Enterprise: The AYPE and the City of Seattle
Meet Me at the Fair
 Norway Day parade |
The AYPE was a success by most standards. Commemorative days were set aside to honor organizations, professions, and ethnic communities. The Mayor was invited to a celebration of the Official Exposition Flower, the Cactus Dahlia. There was an Ellensburg Day, an Idaho Day, and a Fisherman's Day. More than two and a half million people visited the fair from the State of Washington and the rest of the country. On Seattle Day, the parade blocked streetcar service to the Exposition "for more than an hour, preventing thousands of people from attending the Exposition," according to the Public Utilities Department Annual Report.
The City, responsible for coordinating street railway service, stated that "with a few notable exceptions on special days, travel to and from the Exposition was well handled." Special staff or "traffic aides" kept officials informed of heavy traffic and were able to put on more cars when they were needed.