On the other hand, the fair provided the urban entrepreneur with a site in which to sell state-of-the-art amusements and to mount displays promoting the fruits of modern technology, the latest mass production techniques, and popular culture.

In 2000, the number of PNE visitors topped I,000,000. Staging an event this size each summer has come to involve the collaboration of over 15,000 people rallying together to deliver an ever diverse range of activity and entertainment. Over the two week period the site becomes a community composed of smaller communities ? each of which produces a particular facet of the overall entertainment package.

The vendor's world is one such community. Entering the Forum building feels a bit like stepping on to an island. There are no windows. Each booth is lit by spotlight from the ceiling, creating a theatrical feeling. Visitors are surrounded by the ever present collage of sound generated by the interaction of humans engaging in the ritual pursuit of commerce.