I visited the event to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary, but attendance was sparse, there were power issues, and the event closed early due to bad weather.
A look inside Day 2 of the Great American State Fair
USA TODAY’s Michelle Del Rey takes you inside the second day of the Great American State Fair, which had some issues.
WASHINGTON – The Great American State Fair is being held on the National Mall to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. But not everything is off to such a great start.
The event quickly ran into problems, including power outages, melting ice cream, and a lack of representation in states that refused to send delegates.
Organizers promised attendees that they would have representatives from all over the United States, but at least 10 states and territories declined to participate, many citing the high cost of staffing the 16-day event.
Booths in Connecticut, Oregon, Washington, Maine, Alaska and the U.S. Virgin Islands displayed only backdrops and chairs or carpets.
But other states went all out for the semi-quincentenary. At the Texas booth, visitors could take photos at the Alamo, play with an interactive display from the long-running music series “Austin City Limits,” and sit inside a spaceship. Meanwhile, the Nevada booth had a Las Vegas theme. The California booth offered attendees the opportunity to enter a drawing for free vacations.
USA TODAY visited the fair on Friday, June 26th. Here we will introduce what we noticed and the opinions of the participants.
Visitors react to states refusing to participate
William Conner, 49, of Eldersburg, Maryland, said he was surprised the state refused to participate.
“They felt like they missed out because you only get to celebrate the 250th anniversary once,” he said. “If they come here and see what it’s like, it’s not like a Trump festival, it’s basically celebrating America.”
Massachusetts refused to send staff, but Donna, a 72-year-old former teacher from western Massachusetts who asked that only her first name be used, decided to take matters into her own hands. She drove nine hours from home to volunteer at the state’s booth, bringing a case of maple syrup and a children’s coloring book from the Massachusetts Maple Growers Association. She told USA TODAY she is the only volunteer from the state and works every day from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time.
“I didn’t get the idea for a few days,” she said. “Then I decided, ‘Wow, I’m going to go there myself.’
Accident in progress
In addition to empty booths, the event has also been plagued by electrical issues. On Thursday, June 25, attendees reported problems with their generators, forcing the Ferris wheel, one of the fair’s main attractions, to shut down for about two hours. The next day, employees at the grocery store were still waiting for a shipment of ice cream after an ongoing electrical problem melted the entire ice cream selection.
Some meal options, such as boneless wings, were not available as part of lunch service.
Several other attractions were also closed Friday. The West Virginia booth, which featured a driving simulator where visitors could test their driving skills and how well they could sing John Denver’s 1971 hit “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” was closed due to air conditioning issues. Some screens on the National Geographic display also didn’t work.
Fair highlights
Despite the ongoing problems, a small number of visitors enjoyed the interactive exhibits, including dressing up as former President George Washington and chatting with the actress who played Betsy Ross. The pop-up Budweiser bar served as an oasis for people looking to beat the Washington summer heat.
Michelle Cattan said she and her husband, Paul, both in their 60s, traveled from Oneonta, New York, to Washington, D.C., for the “once in a lifetime event.”
The couple, who married in Las Vegas in 1998, enjoyed a photo with a replica of the famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign at the Nevada booth.
“I love going to each of these states and seeing what’s there,” Michelle Catan said. “We are very happy to live in this country.”
Even though participants wanted to visit each state on Friday, there was less time than expected. The fair closed several hours early due to rain.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Please contact mdelrey@usatoday.com.
