Brooklyn Sanitary Fair

Depicting the crowds and activities of the Brooklyn Fair, as seen from the first-tier balcony of the Academy of Music’s Great Hall, this image captures some of the spectacle of the events that went on daily. Among the plentiful attractions at the fair were a Museum of Arts, Relics, and Curiosities; an art exhibition and sale; a grand ball, known as the Calico Ball; an ice-skating rink and fishing pond; and a daily newspaper called the Drum Beat (the first daily newspaper for any contemporary fair). All of these and the many other attractions were run by hundreds of volunteers.