Dinosaur ribs and political friction at Great American State Fair

At the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, visitors flocked to baby chicks, goats and state-themed booths—from a 7,000-pound Jersey Shore sandcastle to a gigantic dinosaur rib cage. But the fair’s management by Freedom 250, created by President Don

WASHINGTON — The first thing you notice at the Great American State Fair isn’t a slogan. It’s a prehistoric one.

A dinosaur rib cage rises in one state booth. towering over the flow of visitors moving toward a 110-foot Ferris wheel— the lone ride at the fair—while an arched structure. smaller than the Ferris wheel and shaped like the ones used at other events. sits nearby. The fair is a mash-up of spectacle and Americana. with goats. sheep and a calf whose mooing carried across the Mall. It’s also, for some people, a reminder that unity is harder than it looks.

The fair kicked off this week and is run by Freedom 250. an organization created by President Donald Trump to run his administration’s official events. Its creation has caused tension with America 250, a congressionally created group designed to plan the nation’s 250th anniversary. The event on the National Mall will run into July.

Early Friday crowds were light, and people spent little time at security as they entered. They moved through an entryway that funneled them quickly toward the main sights. then fanned out to booths arranged inside structures resembling the neoclassical architecture of the nearby National Gallery of Art. In the first hours of the fair. there was a sense among many visitors that the concept was a good one—and that what’s missing is a shared political language.

Sharyn Bovat described it that way as she ate lunch on the National Mall with the Washington Monument. the Freedom 250 Ferris Wheel. and a replica of the triumphal arch behind her. Bovat said she has remained in the Washington area since having a heart attack this year. though she said she lives in Florida.

“There’s nice people, nice events, nice family events,” Bovat said. “Half the country is divided with the other half. I wish they would create a USA 250 for all the people. I’m tired of the politics.”

She said the arch was the element that made the event feel political to her. “It makes me think of Germany,” Bovat said.

For other visitors, the fair’s offerings landed more cleanly as entertainment. Washington-area attendees were united by the idea of states coming together to show off unique characters. famous natives. industries and history. along with the country’s geographic diversity. They also came for what some described as a nonpartisan celebration of American unity.

Animal sounds and baby chicks helped pull those ideals into view. Washington High School Future Farmers of America from Jefferson County. West Virginia provided goats. sheep and a calf. with their animals’ noises audible across the Mall. Baby chicks, soft and downy, were a huge draw. There was also a promise of a cowboy performance with bucking broncos highlighting what the fair frames as the rise of the American cowboy.

Even in booths that looked like state tourism brochures, political undertones didn’t fully disappear. Visitors wandered through displays that offered, in miniature, versions of what they associate with each place. The booth representing Montana featured a gigantic rib cage—an oversized scaled-up version of an apatosaurus. a cousin to the better-known brontosaurus.

Virginia’s booth offered a journey through the state’s role in American history. The District of Columbia had a huge banner for visitors to sign, alongside a tree filled with cherry blossoms. South Carolina invited people to enjoy a putting green.

Texas included a space capsule, a facade of the Alamo and a statue — Big Tex. Arizona drew a line outside the booth for its interactive that allowed visitors to put themselves in terrain from the state.

New Jersey’s exhibit turned into one of the most talked-about sights: an ornate sandcastle made from 7,000 pounds of sand brought from the Jersey Shore. An artist built it over the course of four days.

Andy Walters and his wife, Kirsten, were at the New Jersey booth with their three children from Wapakoneta, Ohio, the boyhood hometown of Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong. Walters said he liked the idea but wanted more participation.

“I think it’s nice. I wish all the states were participating,” Andy Walters said. “It’s a little underwhelming but it’s a great idea.”

Kirsten Walters said they were excited to participate but wanted something similar without the political overtones. “We’re excited to be here and participate,” she said.

Not all states sent delegations, and some booths were unstaffed, a detail that made the fair feel less like a single national party and more like a patchwork.

Most states participated, treating the event like a tourism opportunity, but there was not full representation. Maine, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania opted to not send delegations, citing costs, scheduling or politicization concerns.

Some booths, including those for Hawaii and Alaska, were unstaffed. Hawaii’s booth still featured a couple of rocking chairs, which tired visitors put to good use. Alonzo Lewis Jr. and Kelly Domizio, from Rome, New York, took advantage of the chairs to rest.

“This was really pretty cool,” Domizio said. “Been going to all the different states.”

Lewis said his view was different. “Was it necessary, I don’t think so,” he said. “It feels forced. There’s so much separation.”

Domizio said she remembered the bicentennial in 1976. “There was a sense of pride” and togetherness she said. “We are enjoying the day but it feels forced.”

Great American State Fair Freedom 250 America 250 Donald Trump National Mall dinosaur rib cage Ferris wheel state booths Jersey Shore sandcastle unity political tension