Washington, United States. The Great American State Fair opened on the National Mall on Thursday, launching a 16-day celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary with a 110-foot Ferris wheel, a rodeo demonstration and a wide range of fair food. Early attendance was sparse, while attention turned to the upcoming July 4 holiday week.
Opening events and holiday plans
Much of the 1.5-mile promenade linking the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument has been fenced off for the event. U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News on Saturday that the Trump administration was planning the “greatest and biggest celebration of fireworks ever.”
President Donald Trump opened the fair on Wednesday night with a campaign-style rally. The rally was organized after many scheduled performers withdrew, citing concerns that the event was taking on a partisan tone.
Visitors and fair setting
Ashley, a visitor from Ohio who declined to give her last name, said she was attending to celebrate the country’s history. “We are here to just celebrate America, a long journey that she has had,” she said, adding that her children were eager to ride the Ferris wheel for the aerial view.
The event is designed as a tribute to state fairs held across the United States each summer, known for attractions including homemade quilts, butter sculptures and oversized pumpkins. It is one of a series of events nationwide ahead of the July 4 Independence Day holiday, which marks the American colonists’ Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1776.
Location and broader changes in Washington
The pavilions set up along the Mall, between the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, are temporary. They stand in contrast to more permanent changes Trump is pursuing in Washington, including tearing down the East Wing of the White House to make way for a large ballroom, a renovation of the National Reflecting Pool facing the Lincoln Memorial and a proposed 250-foot arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
Political concerns and state participation
Crowds at the fair have included supporters wearing red Make America Great Again hats. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted this month found that a majority of Americans, including three-quarters of Democrats and half of Republicans, believe the events marking the country’s 250th anniversary have become too political.
Seven U.S. states, all led by Democratic governors, declined to send official delegations to the fair, although Freedom 250 organizers said all 50 states would be represented. Freedom 250 is a public-private partnership created by the White House to coordinate celebrations of the U.S. 250th anniversary alongside federal agencies.
Among the states boycotting the event was Oregon. A spokesperson for Democratic Governor Tina Kotek said: “The State of Oregon will not be participating in the Great American State Fair due to both the cost of participating in the Fair and growing concerns that the event in Washington, D.C., is shaping up to be a more partisan affair than originally presented.”
