The opening of the Great American State Fair on Thursday offered a coast-to-coast showcase of the nation’s unique cultures and traditions as the United States was just days away from celebrating its 250th anniversary.
Whether it was bouquets of chiles hanging inside New Mexico’s exhibit or a talking hologram of Abraham Lincoln greeting guests in Illinois’ pavilion, each state shared cherished parts of its character inside faux neoclassical facades lining the National Mall.
Visitors dressed in an assortment of red, white and blue garb crisscrossed the grassy expanses of the Mall to collect stamps from each of the 50 states and a handful of territories, while taking breaks to watch a live rodeo, observe a flyover from a pair of B-52 Stratofortresses or wait to hop on the Ferris wheel.
A miniature version of President Trump’s proposed triumphal arch was situated in the middle of the fairgrounds and became a popular attraction for photo shoots. Several high-level dignitaries also drew crowds, giving their states’ displays a more interactive feel.
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“People like maps, so I wanted a map here because I want them to visualize,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told The Washington Times during a brief break from taking photos with visitors. “What we see is people walking up here, and they say, ’OK, my grandfather was born here,’ or ’We lived here for a certain period of time,’ you know?”
Mr. DeWine said he and his wife, Fran, helped design the Buckeye State’s pavilion, which also featured its work with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that mails every enrolled child one free book per month until the child’s fifth birthday, as well as photos from across Ohio, such as Tom’s Ice Cream Bowl in Zanesville.
It was these deeply local touches that allowed individual pavilions to truly distinguish themselves across the crowded fairgrounds.
Nebraska gave visitors a chance to be a train conductor in a simulator from Omaha-based Union Pacific Railroad and shared the story of the Rev. Edward J. Flanagan, a Catholic priest who established an orphanage and educational complex known as Boys Town.
Montana let children fiddle around in a dinosaur dig site with brushes and hammers, while allowing people to step inside a re-created outdoorsman’s tent.
Arizona was so popular that a line formed outside its pavilion. The Times was unable to wait out the line, but the state’s Office of Tourism said guests were given an immersive tour of Antelope Canyon and the Ponderosa Pine Forest, and caught a glimpse of what the stars look like in the open desert.
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There was some friendly jockeying over which icon belonged to which state.
For example, Mississippi’s exhibit noted that it was the birthplace of the late “Margaritaville” singer Jimmy Buffett, while Florida’s nearby pavilion said that Buffett’s music turned the Florida Keys lifestyle into a global phenomenon.
Many of the states were proud to point out their individual impact on American history.
“This wall shows the birthplace of Route 66,” said Lori Simms, the deputy director of Missouri’s Office of Tourism. “The road was actually named in Springfield, Missouri, in 1926, and we’ve kicked off the centennial celebration of Route 66. It’s a huge hit with international visitors — people come all over the world, particularly Europe and Australia, to travel the road.”
Ms. Simms said the fair was a rare treat for the Show Me State staffers to venture outside Missouri and advertise the best parts about where they live.
Those who visited the fair felt that it wasn’t getting the attention it deserved.
Karen Cooke, who lives near Fredericksburg, Virginia, but has also lived in Illinois and Utah, said she was surprised the event was not more crowded.
She said she was particularly moved by the opening ceremony Wednesday night, which included a speech from Mr. Trump, and had not expected it to inspire so much patriotism.
“It was an amazing kickoff, and I hope that other people show up to support, because this isn’t about one person, it’s about the singers — they were phenomenal — and the military people that sang, and the guitars that they played,” Ms. Cooke said. “Oh my gosh, I mean, it was such a treat last night.”
The Great American State Fair became embroiled in controversy earlier this month when several of its headlining acts, including Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, the Commodores and Young MC, pulled out of the event over fears it was highly political.
Mr. Trump instead held a rally to launch the event, which deepened criticism that it skewed toward one side of America more than the other.
Still, that was not Darren Pasha’s perception.
The Dupont Circle resident said he came to the U.S. as a refugee in the 1990s after his father was assassinated for speaking out about the Iraqi army’s actions against the Kurdish people.
He attended the event because he was grateful for the life the U.S. gave him, and felt the fair gave all political persuasions an opportunity to cheer on the 250th anniversary.
“I see hats that are saying ’Make America Great Again,’ I’ve seen hats that say ’Biden and Harris,’ I’ve seen hats that says ’Make America Gay Again’ as well,” Mr. Pasha said with a laugh.
“You could tell everyone is very bipartisan here, and no one’s fighting with each other over a hat. That’s the love I feel right now, they’re very warm,” he said.
The Great American State Fair will run through July 10 on the National Mall.
