Find a Cotton Candy Stand for Your Event in the USA

The origins of cotton candy go back centuries to Renaissance Italy. Back then, chefs melted and spun sugar by hand. The process involved pulling the candy into fine strands with forks and placing it on the handles of the broom. These hand-spun candies were not only labor-intensive, but also expensive. However, the cotton candy we know and love today did not make its debut until the 19th century. Who introduced this sweet treat?

Believe it or not, a dentist named Dr. William Morrison created cotton candy. In 1897, Dr. Morrison teamed up with candy maker John C. Wharton and invented a machine that heated sugar in a rotating bowl, which had several small holes. The sugar in the hot rotating bowl caramelized and worked its way through the holes, turning the melted sugar into light strands. They called this sweet treat "Fairy Floss." In 1904, the two inventors presented their machine and fun snack at the World's Fair in St. Louis and sold 68,000 boxes in 6 months.