Donna Festinger wasn’t going to let Massachusetts, one of the most influential colonies during the nation’s founding, pass on a chance to showcase its best self during the Great American State Fair on the National Mall.
So the Greenfield native headed to Washington to deck out the lifeless pavilion after Democratic Gov. Maura Healey joined some other state leaders in opting not to participate in the event.
“The governor waited until the last minute to say that she wasn’t going to do anything with the exhibit, so I just thought, ‘What the heck, I’ll go down there,’” Ms. Festinger said.
With the help of some friends, Ms. Festinger gathered some maple syrup samples, loaded up her truck and made the trip from the Bay State to the nation’s capital.
While on the road, she coordinated with event organizers, whom Ms. Festinger said were more than happy to let her commandeer the booth that was scheduled to be almost empty and start decorating the pavilion.
It wasn’t long before Ms. Festinger received reinforcements.
A visitor to the exhibit recommended her friend, Judith Kalaora, to work as a historical reenactor.
Ms. Festinger said Ms. Kalaora arrived in the last few days and began impersonating Deborah Sampson, a Revolutionary-era woman who disguised herself as a man to fight against the British.
Ms. Kalaora dressed in a Continental Army uniform and posed for pictures with visitors, while Ms. Festinger stamped passports, which are given to fairgoers to encourage them to drop by each of the state showcases.
Visitors packed into the exhibit to share their appreciation for volunteers handing out Massachusetts-shaped Lego pieces. And attendees could decorate a red, white or blue tile as part of a My America civics engagement project.
My America, a nonprofit, plans to combine the tiles to create an American flag with messages and drawings from people in each state.
Visitors voiced their appreciation for Ms. Festinger’s efforts.
In the middle of Ms. Festinger’s interview with The Washington Times, a woman from Springfield, Massachusetts, interjected to thank her for giving the state a proper showing.
Ms. Festinger said the response to her actions has been overwhelming and gives her hope about the patriotic fervor living on in the next generation.
“When I was growing up in the 1950s, which I felt was the peak of patriotism, we all took it for granted,” she said. “But I think Freedom 250 is bringing the country together.”
