Is your state missing from the Great American State Fair in Washington, DC?
At least 11 states or territories — about 20% — are not participating in the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, as part of the Trump administration’s celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary.
They include Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.
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Alaska’s booth at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. (Azi Paybarah/Straight Arrow) -
Hawaii’s booth at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. (Azi Paybarah/Straight Arrow) -
Connecticut’s and Maine’s booths at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. (Azi Paybarah/Straight Arrow) -
Rhode Island’s booth at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. (Azi Paybarah/Straight Arrow) -
Vermont’s booth at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. (Azi Paybarah/Straight Arrow) -
Oregon’s booth at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. (Azi Paybarah/Straight Arrow) -
The U.S. Virgin Islands’, Northern Mariana Islands’, and American Samoa’s booths at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. (Azi Paybarah/Straight Arrow)
Each state was provided its own tent in which to display information and artifacts about its area. People attending the fair could walk in, interact with people at the tent, collect freebies, and even get a commemorative passport stamped.
In Michigan’s tent, visitors were greeted by a fake cow with liquid dripping from an udder, and left with a free box of cereal.
Texas showed off Big Tex; New York had its iconic logo.
New Hampshire displayed its collection of political trading cards, and Utah brought a taste of its outdoors.
South Dakota used VR technology to let people experience hunting. And California’s main attraction was its seating, and uneventful ambiance.
But some states had no representation at all.
New Jersey declined to participate, though its space was taken over by people representing one of its counties, Cape May. A state official who requested anonymity to speak candidly about internal deliberations, told Straight Arrow the State Fair “wasn’t the right way to ensure that New Jersey was properly promoted” in the country’s semiquincentennial. The person also said that “we’re doing an enormous amount” in New Jersey “to celebrate that.”
A spokesperson for Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a statement to Straight Arrow, “The Hawai‘i America250 Commission is not operating a pavilion at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., which is 5,000 miles away. No funds were earmarked by the state … or by Congress.”
The statement also noted the state is “focusing on local events.”
In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating a task force to organize numerous events to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary. The Great American State Fair, located on the National Mall, has featured overtly religious and ideological content.
That includes the “Freedom Truck,” which displays text and images from Prager University — which is not an accredited school. Prager says it promotes content “upholding Judeo-Christian values.”
Also represented at the fair was Hillsdale College, the four-year college in Michigan that describes itself as “nonsectarian Christian,” AMAC, the conservative alternative to the AARP, books promoting Christianity, material attacking socialism, and “David’s Tent,” which featured live Christian music and a pool where people could be baptized.
An email sent Monday afternoon to Freedom 250 was not immediately returned.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
