{"id":3172,"date":"2026-07-03T04:10:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T04:10:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americanmovershub.com\/?p=3172"},"modified":"2026-07-03T04:10:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T04:10:01","slug":"the-controversy-and-fun-of-the-great-american-state-fair-on-the-national-mall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/americanmovershub.com\/?p=3172","title":{"rendered":"The controversy \u2014 and fun \u2014 of the Great American State Fair on the National Mall"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Sitting 110 feet above the National Mall really puts into perspective how large the public space is in the heart of Washington, D.C. <\/p>\n

Read more Brands poke fun at PlayStation following the company\u2019s big announcement<\/a><\/p>\n

Looking out over the booths lining the mall, featuring states, territories and companies, I spoke with four Virginians who rebuked the controversy hanging over Freedom 250\u2019s Great American State Fair. <\/p>\n

Some states, led by Democrats, opted out of sending volunteers and showcasing what makes their state great. State leaders not participating said it was either too expensive to send things for the two-week long fair, or too partisan since it\u2019s being put on by Freedom 250, which is an organization created by the Trump administration. <\/p>\n

With swiveled heads looking back-and-forth to the U.S. Capitol building and the Washington Monument, the Virginians discussed how divided the country is. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe still are fighting, but it\u2019s OK to have different opinions because that makes it better, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d one woman with an American flag painted on her cheek said. \u201cIt would be nice if we had a foundation that we love our country and this is all because we love our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, presidents come and go, this is our country,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n

Fair faces pushback and issues<\/h3>\n

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, was one of the state leaders who didn\u2019t send an exhibit representing their state at the fair. Pennsylvania Sens. John Fetterman, a Democrat, and Dave McCormick, a Republican, stepped in to organize the exhibit instead, after Shapiro said he couldn\u2019t find businesses who wanted to participate. <\/p>\n

The senators said the effort would be funded through private partnerships not taxpayer dollars, but combined their efforts to make sure their state \u2014 Pennsylvania, the state where the Declaration of Independence was signed \u2014 was represented in the nation\u2019s 250th celebrations. <\/p>\n

Several businesses, including Crayola, Utz, and Christmas tree farmers, showed up to help. <\/p>\n

Similarly, other states decided not to have a role in the fair. At least 10 states didn\u2019t end up sending state exhibits, including Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Hawaii.<\/p>\n

The fair itself has also drawn some criticism. North Carolina is facing scrutiny after its booth displayed a Confederate flag. It was quickly removed. North Carolina was one of the states that didn\u2019t send representation and was instead operated by private parties. <\/p>\n

Crowd sizes were minimal on the first few days of the fair, drawing criticism from those who don\u2019t support the effort. In the days leading up to the Fourth of July, crowds were drawn to the fair to explore the booths, watch the rodeo and listen to live performances. There\u2019s also a section on the National Mall dedicated to watching the FIFA World Cup. <\/p>\n

The fair hasn\u2019t been without troubles caused by Mother Nature, too. Storms over the weekend forced early closures and a heat wave hitting Washington this week brought high humidity and temperatures climbing above 100 degrees.<\/p>\n

Read more Where you can and can\u2019t light personal fireworks in Utah this Fourth of July<\/a><\/p>\n

Utah\u2019s booth offers free trip<\/h3>\n

Fairgoers who check out the Utah booth were greeted with cartoon landscapes of all that the Beehive State has to offer. From the red arches to the ski slopes and the Great Salt Lake, people learned about what makes Utah so great. <\/p>\n

They also had a chance to enter a raffle to win a free trip to the state. A Massachusetts couple posing for a photo on the makeshift ski lift said they were hoping they\u2019d win since they had never gotten the chance to go to Utah. <\/p>\n

Natalie Randall, the managing director at the Utah Office of Tourism, said she hopes visitors see how beautiful and naturally diverse the state is. It\u2019s both urban, with downtown Salt Lake City, and rural, with five great National Parks, she said. <\/p>\n

Mike Mower, the senior adviser of community outreach and intergovernmental affairs in Gov. Spencer Cox\u2019s office, described how they answered President Donald Trump\u2019s call to action to showcase the best in each state. He said he feels like they accomplished that with the Utah booth. <\/p>\n

What\u2019s next<\/h3>\n

The Great American State Fair will run on the National Mall until July 10. With the Fourth of July just days away, the city is abuzz with patriotism. <\/p>\n

On Saturday, a ceremony will begin near the Capitol, with performances and a speech from Trump around 9:45 p.m. EDT. There will be military band performances, Air Force flyovers every hour and more. <\/p>\n

There will also be what is being called the world\u2019s largest and record-breaking fireworks show in the evening. In fact, due to the flyovers and the fireworks, Washington\u2019s airspace will close the Ronald Reagan National Airport until July 5. <\/p>\n

Typically, D.C.\u2019s fireworks show on the Fourth lasts anywhere from 17 to 25 minutes and starts around 9:30 p.m. This year, the fireworks won\u2019t start until sometime between 10:30 and 11 p.m. and last anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour. <\/p>\n

This year\u2019s fireworks show is expected to break the world record, set in 2016 at a New Year\u2019s event in the Philippines, and have more than 850,000 fireworks from 10 different locations in the area, the Washington Post reported. <\/p>\n

Typically, the D.C. fireworks show has about 20,000 fireworks. <\/p>\n

Celebrations across Utah and the rest of the country will take place, too, to honor the nation\u2019s semiquincentennial. <\/p>\n

Read more \u2018Born of greatness\u2019: Kelsey Grammer gets emotional reflecting on George Washington\u2019s early life in \u2018Young Washington\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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