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.
President Donald Trump said the Great American State Fair was “full of happy people,” but when USA TODAY visited the event on the National Mall on Monday, June 29, it found crowds were light, lines were short and there was plenty of space.
Since opening on June 25, the fair has seen sparse attendance for the first few days, but it remains unclear how the July 4th holiday will play out. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum told Fox News on June 27 that the Trump administration is planning “the largest fireworks display in history.”
However, activity on the ground appeared to be limited. Lines to enter the fair, browse the state booths, and purchase food were minimal. The longest wait time was for the 110-foot Ferris wheel, but even that seemed typical for a standard attraction.
There are not many people at the fair and there are long lines.
Small groups gathered for events near the rodeo Monday afternoon, including a wood saw contest and acrobatic performance, but crowd size remained modest.
Videos on social media suggest that turnout was uneven. In one video shared by TMZ, actor Dean Cain can be heard saying, “There’s a lot of people in here. It’s a big space. It’s going to get more and more crowded as the week goes on,” even as the camera shows a mostly empty space.
USA TODAY requested attendance numbers from Freedom 250, a group associated with Task Force 250, a public-private partnership established by the White House to work with federal agencies to coordinate celebrations of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Exit of performers, hurdles to access
Concerns about attendance have been raised after notable performers including Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, Young MC, The Commodores and Morris Day and the Time pulled out of the lineup due to political ties to the event.
Admission to the fair may also be a barrier, as part of the National Mall grounds are fenced off ahead of the July 4 fireworks display, and attendees must register, but walk-ups are allowed, according to the Freedom 250 website.
Safety measures include a clear bag policy with size restrictions, and common items such as outside food and drink, umbrellas, coolers, metal containers, and selfie sticks are prohibited.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Please contact mdelrey@usatoday.com.
