Historical Overview From imperial fairs in 1748 to the modern “Master” Congress Center – the key milestones of the Novi Sad Fair. The Novi Sad Fair grew from a tradition of fairs and exhibitions of crafts, industry, and agriculture—and today stands as a modern fair & congress complex and one of Novi Sad’s most recognizable symbols. Timeline 1748 Right to Hold Fairs Novi Sad, as a free royal town, gains the right to organize country fairs (Mar 20, May 19, Jul 10, Oct 20) — the beginnings of organized fair gatherings. 1875 First Craft-Industrial Exhibition At the “Strelište” grounds in August, the first exhibition with industrial products from Novi Sad, Budapest, and Vienna — 15,000 visitors, revenue 1,500 forints. Strelište 1888 First Agricultural Products Exhibition The Economic Committee of the Bač-Bodrog County organizes an exhibition Oct 13–16 at Strelište — a step toward specialized agricultural shows. 1923 First Novi Sad Exhibition Aug 11–26: exhibition in the Catholic gymnasium building on Futoški Road — the start of continuous fair events; concept by Đula Hajoš. Catholic Gymnasium 1929 Joint-Stock Company Founded Merchants and industrialists establish a Joint-Stock Company for exhibitions and a Samples Fair — professionalization of the organization. Joint-Stock Company — period document 1930 International Fair & Sample Exhibition Sep 27 – Oct 6: the first major international event under the new management. 1931 First International Agricultural Fair Mar 14–18: a lasting focus on agriculture and livestock is set; fairs continue throughout the next decade. 1938 End of the Joint-Stock Company Due to financial difficulties the company ceases; a bureau at the Agricultural Chamber of the Danube Banovina takes over. 1940 New Location on Hajduk Veljkova The jubilee 10th Fair opens where the Fair still stands today; plans include permanent halls, a hippodrome, and supporting facilities. 1948 First Provincial Agricultural Exhibition Oct 1–20: 85,000 visitors; the cycle of provincial exhibitions (1948–1951) stimulates agricultural renewal. 1953 Fair Becomes a Yugoslav Institution A new emblem is adopted and the institution’s identity is modernized. 1954 Specialization & International Character Autumn — agriculture; Spring — craft/industrial fairs; the Fair Bulletin introduced; ~400 participants at the first autumn international fair. 1958 Spring Term & UFI Membership Agricultural fairs move to spring; NS Fair joins UFI (Thessaloniki, 25th Congress). The Fair, 1958 — a golden era of development 1973 40th Int’l Agricultural Fair & Developing Countries A collective exhibition of developing countries (in the spirit of non-alignment) — strong growth of exhibitors and visitors. 2001 Construction of the “Master” Center Begins Strategic modernization of fair infrastructure and congress capacities. 2006 “Master” Congress Center Opens The Fair gains a top-tier congress facility for modern events and services business. Today Regional Hub for Fairs & Events Complex ~226,000 m² (of which ~60,000 m² pavilions), ~20 events and ~500,000 visitors annually; the Int’l Agricultural Fair remains the leading agribusiness event in the region. Regional Hub for Fairs & Events 1748 — Right to Hold Fairs Novi Sad, as a free royal town, gains the right to organize country fairs (Mar 20, May 19, Jul 10, Oct 20) — the beginnings of organized fair gatherings. 1875 — First Craft-Industrial Exhibition At the “Strelište” grounds in August, the first exhibition with industrial products from Novi Sad, Budapest, and Vienna — 15,000 visitors, revenue 1,500 forints. Strelište 1888 — First Agricultural Products Exhibition The Economic Committee of the Bač-Bodrog County organizes an exhibition Oct 13–16 at Strelište — a step toward specialized agricultural shows. 1923 — First Novi Sad Exhibition Aug 11–26: exhibition in the Catholic gymnasium building on Futoški Road — the start of continuous fair events; concept by Đula Hajoš. Catholic Gymnasium 1929 — Joint-Stock Company Founded Merchants and industrialists establish a Joint-Stock Company for exhibitions and a Samples Fair — professionalization of the organization. Joint-Stock Company — period document 1930 — International Fair & Sample Exhibition Sep 27 – Oct 6: the first major international event under the new management. 1931 — First International Agricultural Fair Mar 14–18: a lasting focus on agriculture and livestock is set; fairs continue throughout the next decade. 1938 — End of the Joint-Stock Company Due to financial difficulties the company ceases; a bureau at the Agricultural Chamber of the Danube Banovina takes over. 1940 — New Location on Hajduk Veljkova The jubilee 10th Fair opens where the Fair still stands today; plans include permanent halls, a hippodrome, and supporting facilities. 1948 — First Provincial Agricultural Exhibition Oct 1–20: 85,000 visitors; the cycle of provincial exhibitions (1948–1951) stimulates agricultural renewal. 1953 — Fair Becomes a Yugoslav Institution A new emblem is adopted and the institution’s identity is modernized. 1954 — Specialization & International Character Autumn — agriculture; Spring — craft/industrial fairs; the Fair Bulletin introduced; ~400 participants at the first autumn international fair. 1958 — Spring Term & UFI Membership Agricultural fairs move to spring; NS Fair joins UFI (Thessaloniki, 25th Congress). The Fair, 1958 — a golden era of development 1973 — 40th Int’l Agricultural Fair & Developing Countries A collective exhibition of developing countries (in the spirit of non-alignment) — strong growth of exhibitors and visitors. 2001 — Construction of the “Master” Center Begins Strategic modernization of fair infrastructure and congress capacities. 2006 — “Master” Congress Center Opens The Fair gains a top-tier congress facility for modern events and services business. Today — Regional Hub for Fairs & Events Complex ~226,000 m² (of which ~60,000 m² pavilions), ~20 events and ~500,000 visitors annually; the Int’l Agricultural Fair remains the leading agribusiness event in the region. Regional Hub for Fairs & Events Gallery Strelište Catholic Gymnasium Joint-Stock Company (1929–1938) Joint-Stock Company (1929–1938) Fair 1958 — UFI membership Novi Sad Fair from outside “Master” Congress Center — modern view Notes & Sources This text is condensed from the Novi Sad Fair archives and publicly available historical descriptions. Photos come from our own archive (vintage) and contemporary shots of the complex. For precise citations and additional references, consult official monographs and archival materials. Copyright note: when using the photographs, please credit “Novi Sad Fair”.