Seymore D. Fair (a.k.a. Seymour D. Fair, and sometimes called Seymore de Faire or Seymour d'Fair) is a cartoon animal and

costumed character A costumed performer or suit performer wears a costume that usually, (but not always) covers the performer's face, typically to represent a non-human character such as a mascot or cartoon character. These range from theme park "walk-around" or "m ...

who was the official

mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fic ...

of the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition. An

anthropomorphic Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...

white pelican, Seymore typically wears a blue tuxedo jacket, large top hat, spats, and white gloves. His name is derived from the New Orleans "Yat" phrase "See more of the fair". Seymore was the "world's 1st-ever" character mascot in the history of World Expositions. Seymore promoted the New Orleans World's Fair globally, including in

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, and

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. During the

1984 Republican National Convention The 1984 Republican National Convention convened on August 20 to August 23, 1984, at Dallas Convention Center in downtown Dallas, Texas. The convention nominated President Ronald W. Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush for reelection. ...

, he interacted on stage with

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; p ...

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and numerous Chiefs of State. In

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

, he hung out with Billy Joel at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800 ...

entertaining wives of Russian diplomats. Seymore appeared on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves as ...

'', shown guarding an entrance to the White House with Secret Service agents.

Name

For the first 10 months of his existence, Seymore was simply referred to as Mr. Pelican. Later, fair management worked with a local convenience store chain to create a naming contest, which resulted in over 18,000 name submissions. Judges included local celebrities such as Angus Lind and Bob Marshall of the '' States Item''. Other submitted names included Crazy-Laid-Back Fred, Puddin Pus, and Valdimir. The winner of the contest was Susan Shambra, a computer operator for a local insurance company. Seymore's name, is a derivative of the local

Yat dialect New Orleans English is American English native to the city of New Orleans and its metropolitan area. Native English speakers of the region actually speak a number of varieties, including the variety most recently brought in and spreading since the ...

translation of "See More of the Fair"' as "Seymore D' Fair." June 1984 Snap Shot

Advocacy and education

In addition to his job at the New Orleans World's Fair, Seymore engaged in numerous educational, civic, and community causes, most notably Substance Free Lifestyles, Animal Welfare, and Positive Behavior programs. In 1986 he and his Critter friends performed with First Lady Nancy Reagan in the national "Just Say No" Rally held in the Louisiana Superdome. Inspired by the First Lady's anti-drug campaign, Seymore & the Critters joined forces with local law enforcement agencies in 1986 to produce a drug education program titled "Critters & Kids Just Say NO to Drugs". The two-part program consisted of a 45-minute live theater presentation and a post program classroom teaching unit. Approximately 100 public, private, and parochial schools from the metro New Orleans area participated with 40,000 K-6 students attended the live theater presentation. At that time, Harry Lee Jefferson Parish Sheriff proclaimed that the Critters & Kids Just Say No program was the largest singular drug education effort in Louisiana history.

Honors & awards

At the close of the fair in November 1984, Seymore was enshrined alongside Dorothy's

ruby slippers The ruby slippers are the magic pair of shoes worn by Dorothy Gale as played by Judy Garland in the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film '' The Wizard of Oz''. Because of their iconic stature, the ruby slippers are among the most valuable items ...

in the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded o ...

. He was also inducted into the New Orleans Historic Collection and the Louisiana State Archives where he is prominently displayed. Seymore and his friends known as the "Critters" were appointed "Ambassadors of Goodwill" for the State of Louisiana by then Governor Edwin E. Edwards. New Orleans Mayor Ernest "Dutch" Morial issued a proclamation in 1986 proclaiming January 24 as "Seymore D' Fair" day.

The Seymore D. Fair Foundation

To foster and support Seymore's community programs, the Seymore D. Fair Foundation was established in 2015. The foundation is a registered 501(3)c organization that supports the advancement of children's education efforts throughout the world. A national nonprofit advocacy organization for children the Seymore D. Fair Foundation is dedicated to promoting the empowerment of people, the welfare of animals, and protection of the planet. The foundation focuses its support on committed grassroots educational efforts and organizations that rely on programs and volunteer efforts where foundation support will make a significant difference.

References

External links