Organizers have announced plans for a massive two-week festival on the National Mall this summer to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
WASHINGTON — Livestock competitions, rodeo events and a 110-foot Ferris wheel will be on the National Mall this summer as part of a White House-sponsored “World’s Fair-style” celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The 16-day event, dubbed the Great American State Fair, will transform the National Mall and temporarily reshape one of the country’s most iconic civic spaces. It’s one of many events, including IndyCar races and athletic competitions for high school students, hosted by Freedom 250, a nonprofit organization founded by President Donald Trump to realize his National Day vision.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement that the event will give the Mall “a stage to tell our country’s story.”
Freedom 250 is working with the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies on logistics and permitting for the large-scale temporary addition, the organization said.. The effort is separate from those planned by America 250, a bipartisan commission created by Congress to plan the signature celebration.
While World’s Fairs showcase cultures from countries around the world, the Great American State Fair will feature immersive exhibits from across the country, organizers said.
Each of the 50 states and six territories will design a pavilion with interactive experiences that highlight their unique characteristics and contributions. The other five national pavilions will center around the themes of Made in America, American Heartland, American Innovates, The American Canvas, and Faith & Family.
According to Freedom 250, the exhibit will be displayed in a semi-permanent “Beaux Arts” style structure. White buildings line the National Mall, which stretches from the Capitol to the Washington Monument. A small replica of the Arc de Triomphe proposed by President Trump will be installed at the venue.
The fair will be held for two weeks from June 25th (Thursday) to July 10th (Friday).
Other attractions include a Ferris wheel about one-fifth the size of the Washington Monument, the mall’s renovated carousel, and a variety of classic state fair attractions. Organizers are planning rodeo-style events such as a livestock blue ribbon competition and a barrel race, in which horses and jockeys race as fast as they can around pre-placed barrels.
Daily themes such as “Military and Veterans Appreciation Day” and “Engines of the Enterprise” are designed to celebrate aspects of American life. Freedom 250 is accepting nominations for “creative artists of all ages and disciplines” to perform at the festival, including vocalists, dancers, crafters and cultural heritage performers.
What will the state fair look like?
Each participating state expects to receive about 600 square feet of space to place exhibits under large white tents that will be set up along the National Mall’s gravel walkway.
Arizona, for example, plans to use the space to create a “sensory journey” through the way light defines the state, said Paul Behnen, the creative director who helped design the state pavilion.
Visitors walk through a space that resembles the rippling sandstone walls of Antelope Canyon, with light streaming in from above. They move into a room with a video feed of Ponderosa Pines and flickering, dappled light, and finally into a room styled to mimic the Sonoran Desert, with views of the Milky Way above.
Meanwhile, Florida wants to create the feel of an old Spanish fort at the beginning of the pavilion, discussing explorer Ponce de Leon. “We want it to be an immersive game… There will be coquina brick walls and sights and sounds and maybe some cannon fire,” said Brian Griffin, president and CEO of Visit Florida.
The exhibit, which focuses on Michigan agriculture, will feature mechanical milking cows, said Nate Engle, who is leading the state’s effort.
Freedom 250 did not immediately respond to questions about how the fair will be financed.
In 2025, Congress appropriated $150 million in taxpayer funds to the Department of the Interior to be distributed as needed to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary. Officials allocated $50 million of that to America250 and $100 million to Freedom 250, according to people familiar with the deal. Freedom 250 is also soliciting donations from individuals.
Carissa Wadick covers America’s 250th anniversary on USA TODAY. Contact him at kwaddick@usatoday.com.
