As the Great American State Fair opens on the National Mall for the U.S. 250th birthday, visitors encounter power outages, melted ice cream, and booths that look unused—alongside early closure due to rain.
Washington’s National Mall was meant to feel like a birthday card for the United States’ 250th year. Instead, on opening days, many visitors say they found empty booth spaces, power problems, and an atmosphere that didn’t quite match the occasion.
The fair is underway to celebrate the semiquincentennial, but early issues have already landed with a thud. Organizers say all parts of the nation would be represented. Yet at least 10 states and territories declined to send delegations, citing the cost of staffing a 16-day event. Some booths show only backdrops and basic furniture, while others lean into full-scale themes.
Among the booths reportedly featuring just staged backdrops and chairs or carpets are Connecticut. Oregon. Washington. Maine. Alaska. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In contrast, other states brought elaborate presentations. Texas offered photo opportunities with the Alamo. an interactive display tied to the long-running music series “Austin City Limits. ” and even a chance to sit inside a spaceship. Nevada went with a Las Vegas theme. California gave attendees the chance to enter a raffle for a free vacation.
For William Connor, 49, of Eldersburg, Maryland, the uneven participation stood out. He said he was surprised by the states that refused to participate and noted. “Celebrating 250 years only happens once. so they kind of missed out.” He added that if those states had shown up. “it’s not like it’s a Trump festival. it’s basically celebrating America.”.
Massachusetts. which declined to send staff. turned into a different kind of story when Donna. 72. a retired teacher from Western Massachusetts who asked to be identified only by her first name. decided to handle it herself. She drove nine hours to Washington. bringing cases of maple syrup and kids’ coloring books from the Massachusetts Maple Producers Association to volunteer at her state’s booth. She said she is the only volunteer from her state and is working roughly 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time each day.
“I didn’t think of the idea for a couple of days,” Donna said. “Then I decided, ‘Wow, I could just go there myself.’”
The fair’s struggles have also shown up in its power and food operations. On Thursday. June 25. attendees reported issues with a generator that forced the Ferris wheel—one of the fair’s main attractions—to shut down for roughly two hours. A day later. workers in the food hall were still waiting for a shipment of ice cream after their entire selection melted due to ongoing electrical problems.
Some food options were also unavailable for part of the lunch service, including boneless wings. Other attractions were out of service as well. West Virginia’s booth. which includes a driving simulator where visitors compete based on both their driving skills and how well they sing John Denver’s 1971 hit “Take Me Home. Country Roads. ” was shut down due to air conditioning issues. Several screens in a National Geographic display also weren’t working.
Yet even with the disruptions, visitors found ways to keep going. Attendees spent time with interactive exhibits. including dressing up as former President George Washington and speaking with an actress portraying Betsy Ross. A pop-up Budweiser bar was a refuge for those trying to beat the Washington summer heat.
Michelle Catan and her husband, Paul, both in their 60s, traveled from Oneonta, New York, saying the trip was for “once in a lifetime event.” Married in Las Vegas in 1998, they enjoyed taking a photo with a replica of the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign in the Nevada booth.
“I love going to each of these states and seeing what they have,” Michelle Catan said. “We’re very blessed to live in this country.”
Time at the fair also came with uncertainty. On Friday, June 26—the day one visit was described by the outlet—the fair closed several hours early due to rain. For people hoping to cover every state on the grounds, the weather added another layer of constraint on top of the power and booth problems.
The sequence of setbacks—empty booths for some states, power failures that halted key attractions, and food operations affected by melted ice cream—has left visitors balancing excitement for a major milestone with frustration over the basics working as promised.
Great American State Fair National Mall U.S. 250th birthday power outages Ferris wheel shutdown ice cream melted state booths state delegations Texas booth Nevada booth California raffle West Virginia simulator rain closure