Trump's Great American State Fair opens with melted ice cream, empty booths [View all]
Source: USA Today
Updated June 26, 2026, 6:54 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON – The Great American State Fair is underway at the National Mall to mark the United States' 250th birthday. But not everything is off to such a great start. The event has quickly faced problems including power outages, melting ice cream – and a lack of representation from states that declined to send delegations.
While organizers assured visitors all parts of the nation would be represented, at least 10 states and territories refused to participate, with many citing the price tag to send staff to the 16-day event as their reason for opting out.
Booths for Connecticut, Oregon, Washington, Maine, Alaska, the U.S. Virgin Islands featured just backdrops and chairs or carpets.
But other states went all-out for the semiquincentennial. The Texas booth allowed visitors to take photos with the Alamo, play with an interactive display for long-running music series "Austin City Limits" and sit inside a spaceship. Meanwhile, the Nevada booth was Las Vegas-themed. California's booth offered attendees the opportunity to enter a raffle for a free vacation.
Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/06/26/trump-great-american-state-fair-dc-issues/90711788007/
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