Several states are passing on Donald Trump’s “Great American State Fair,” creating an early snag for one of the president’s most visible semiquincentennial projects. Oregon, Washington and North Carolina have declined to take part, while Pennsylvania has not yet decided whether it will join.
The fair is scheduled to open on June 25 on the National Mall and run for about two weeks. Trump has described it as a patriotic World’s Fair with pavilions from every US state and territory.
Cost Is The Main Barrier
Officials from the states that have stepped away said the expenses tied to participation were too high. Oregon also raised concerns that the event is becoming more partisan than it was originally presented.
“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,” Oregon spokesperson Luke Harkin said.
A spokesperson for the group behind North Carolina’s America 250 planning said the state was invited but could not afford the required expenditures. “Our limited resources are focused on America 250 events across North Carolina,” she said.
According to a person familiar with the planning, Freedom 250 paid for the build-out of each booth and pavilion, but participating states were responsible for decorating their tents. Oregon officials said a $70,000 shipping cost was substantially higher than expected.
Freedom 250 Says Every State Will Still Be Represented
Freedom 250, the Trump-aligned nonprofit organizing the fair and other 250th events, said all 50 states and territories will still have a presence even if some state governments do not directly participate. The group said details are still being actively finalized.
“What we can say is that every state’s story will be told in a way that’s authentic to its people, history, and culture,” the spokesperson said, adding, “Whether represented by a governor’s office, a tourism board, or a beloved state company or organization, every community will be celebrated.”
The organization has already received 21 proposed pavilion designs from states. Those renderings include a mini-golf course for South Carolina, a replica of the Alamo for Texas and a fossil digging station for Montana.
Other plans show Arizona’s pavilion with an immersive recreation of the wave-like sandstone walls of Antelope Canyon, Michigan with a mechanical milking cow and Minnesota with prizes pulled from a pond of miniature Common Loons.
Trump’s Vision For 250 Takes Shape
The fair is part of a broader set of America 250 events that Trump has pushed from the campaign trail onward. He has used the power of his office to direct programs, funding and themes that fit his vision of the country.
Some of those efforts have already run into trouble. Earlier this month, the fair lost an opening concert after artists withdrew, and Democrats criticized the White House UFC event tied to the 250th anniversary celebrations, saying the government should be focusing more on lowering costs.
CNN has reached out to dozens of states to confirm whether they plan to participate. Wyoming’s pavilion lead said the event is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and expressed excitement about meeting other states and territories at the fair.
The Wyoming display would let visitors try rodeo through augmented reality headsets, one example of how the pavilions are meant to translate state identity into hands-on experiences. From large white tents with neo-classical columns to a scaled-down replica of Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch and a 110-foot Ferris wheel, the fair is set to blend spectacle with state branding.
