Some States Have RSVP'd 'No' to 'Great American State Fair'

A Trump-backed birthday bash for America's 250th is arriving with some empty seats. Per the New York Times, Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Oregon have all opted out of the "Great American State Fair," a 16-day celebration on the National Mall that the president has billed as a signature event. NOTUS reports that Illinois and Maine have also sent their regrets, while CNN notes that Washington state has declined as well. All of those states are led by Democratic governors, with several citing tight budgets and preplanned state-level commemorations as reasons for staying home from the fair, which runs June 25 through July 10.

Oregon went further, however, flagging both costs and what a spokesman for Gov. Tina Kotek calls "growing concerns" that the DC fair is becoming more overtly political than billed. Freedom 250, the National Park Foundation subsidiary organizing the fair, insists the event is nonpartisan and says every state and territory will still be represented, whether by official agencies, tourism boards, or private companies (a North Carolina specialty vehicle firm, Spevco, is now set to stand in for that state). The group has already drawn scrutiny over perks for big donors and use of public money. Musical acts have also peeled away due to what they feel is an overly partisan vibe; the president has scheduled a rally instead.