Today in History – 8 September

“September Ninth Fair” opens in İzmir

Destroyed during the great fire of 1922, İzmir’s commercial life was largely interrupted after the war and a significant majority of the minorities, most of which were engaged in international trade, had left the city. Among the ideas the new Republic regime had for reviving the city and bringing it back to its former glory was the organization of a trade fair of international caliber. The first one of these was opened on September 8, 1927 by Hakkı Bey, the Chairman of İzmir Chamber of Trade and Industry.

Organized at the former Arts School, which is known today as the Mithatpaşa Industrial Vocational High School, the fair boasted 388 participating firms and establishments, 72 of which were foreign. A total of 515 firms, including 155 foreign ones, participated in the Second September Ninth Fair of 1928. Considering that the population of İzmir neared 100 thousand at the time, the fact that 87 thousand people visited the fair indicated how successful the organization was in drawing interest. The name of the fair was changed to “İzmir September Ninth Fair” as of 1933 and came to be known as the “İzmir International Fair” from 1937 onwards. Moving to its new location in Kültürpark, the fair became an integral part of İzmir both due to its economic contributions and its revival of İzmir’s social life.