Trump-backed Great American State Fair opens on National Mall

The Great American State Fair began Wednesday evening on Washington’s National Mall, offering a free, 16-day program that includes state pavilions, a 110-foot Ferris wheel, military flyovers and daily entertainment. The event is being run by Freedom250, a nonprofit that has previously coordinated Trump-aligned anniversary activities on the Mall.

All 50 states and U.S. territories are featured, though several state governments declined to fund their own booths, citing budget constraints. Volunteer groups are providing displays for those states. A spokesperson for Oregon’s governor said the fair was “shaping up to be a more partisan affair than originally presented.”

State pavilions are housed in large white tents with neoclassical columns and include interactive exhibits. For example, Arizona’s pavilion offers a “sensory journey” that moves from a recreation of Antelope Canyon’s light to a desert nightscape, according to Paul Behnen, creative director of the agency that designed the display. Other highlights include a fossil-digging station in Montana, a prize-winning pond of common loons in Minnesota, a citrus showcase and mini-golf course in Florida, and a prairie-smell and lighting experience in Oklahoma.

Daily attractions feature rodeo demonstrations, traditional Mexican charro performances, and meet-and-greets with miniature therapy horses. Mobile “Freedom Trucks” will present AI-generated videos on American history, using material from Hillsdale College and PragerU.

Freedom250 CEO Keith Krach told CNN that the fair will host “hundreds of performers,” including speakers, military bands, singers and magicians, despite recent artist withdrawals.

The fair’s schedule runs through July 10, and organizers have asked attendees to RSVP even though admission is free.