Quench thirst and beat the heat like a Victorian during the great World’s Fair with this famous (or infamous) fair drink. Chicago 1893 World’s Fair Orange Cider was the trendy thing to drink while attending the World’s Fair, even after the event ended. This playful, affordable, and refreshing drink has no real oranges but all of the elusiveness that comes with drinks of that era.

Before the internet and television, people experienced the world through world fair events. Often painfully stereotypical countries and states had booths, pavilions, and buildings showcasing their region’s most famous features. During the 1893 event, booths of the Florida, Illinois, and Washington State Building, the Ice Railway, near the Vienna Cafe, and the Streets of Cairo sold orange cider for five cents a glass.

During the temperance movement, this non-alcoholic drink was enjoyed by all. With popularity came copycats, and other booths appeared in the fair selling their own version of orange cider. These copycats didn’t receive the same fanfare, being called by one reporter a “soul-destroying concoction.” While the original booths’ versions were delicious and refreshing, they weren’t full of oranges as they claimed. Tests later on showed that all of the drinks were a mixture of acids, vinegar, molasses, and orange flavoring.

If you’re looking for fresh orange flavor, look away. If you’re looking for fun historical accuracy, continue making!

What’s in Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair Orange Cider?

Water — Use any type.
Simple Syrup — Make it by simply boiling one cup of water with one cup of sugar.
Citric Acid — Found in the spice aisle or in the bulk bin section of a health food store. It can also be found near the canning sections of a store, as it’s used in jams and jellies.
Orange Extract — A little goes a long way. 
Orange Sanding Sugar — when dissolved, the sand sugar will give the drink a soft orange hue. If you don’t have sanding sugar on hand, use a tiny bit of orange food dye. 

After the simple syrup is made combine all of the ingredients in a pitcher and refrigerate until very cold. 

While far from your average glass of breakfast orange juice, it’s a great refreshing drink to make during the sweltering sunny days of the summer.