The Exposition was held to promote San Diego and support its economy, which had slowed with the country's Great Depression.

Some concessions and exhibits were unusual, such as the Gold Gulch, Lost Continent of Mu, Zoro Garden Nudist Colony, and the "One Ton Mechanical Man."

Approximately 65% of them were relief workers whose wages were paid by the federal government; the remainder were employees of private contractors.

[1] The Hollywood Motion Picture Hall of Fame exhibit,[2][3][4][5][6] at the now-called [7] in 1935–36, had a stock company of actors that signed with the Screen Actors Guild and The Dominos Club of Hollywood (social organization for actresses, including: Carole Lombard, Thelma Todd, and ZaSu Pitts).

[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] The buildings from the 1915 fair were in Spanish Colonial Revival architecture style, designed by Bertram Goodhue and Carleton Winslow.

[20] In honor of the California Pacific International Exposition, the federal government released a commemorative silver half dollar.

The Committee convinced the City Council to enact resolutions that now require any new buildings to be designed and constructed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.

The Committee also worked with various government agencies for the remaining original buildings to be declared a National Historic Landmark, which was awarded in 1978.

Featured on the front side of Spreckels Organ Pavilion is a fountain dedicated to the workers of the 1936 California Pacific International Exposition.