President Donald Trump's state fair, intended to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary, has devolved into a chaotic spectacle, drawing hundreds of protesters instead of supporters.
The 16-day event at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was supposed to feature a Ferris wheel, rodeo horses, and a replica of Trump's proposed arch. However, nearly all performers withdrew last month, disillusioned by the event's overtly partisan nature.
In a furious post on Truth Social, Trump declared, "We don't want singers with no talent, but big fees to put you to sleep," and vowed to host "a rally to end all rallies."
Critics argue that the Freedom 250 event has morphed into a MAGA rally, with Democratic lawmakers accusing it of sanitizing history by ignoring slavery and the genocide of Native Americans.
Alan Zibel, a researcher for Public Citizen, slammed the event's narrative as a retrograde portrayal of U.S. history. He stated, "It tells a very kind of 1950s, white, Christian version of U.S. history that I thought we had moved on from."
Musicians have fled the Great American State Fair in droves.
High-profile acts like The Commodores, Morris Day, Bret Michaels of Poison, Young MC, and headliner Martina McBride all pulled out last month. McBride expressed disappointment over being misled about the event's nonpartisan nature.
In stark contrast, the Next250 Project organized a massive counter-protest near the White House.
A few hundred activists gathered at the former Black Lives Matter Plaza, advocating for stricter gun laws, a $25 federal minimum wage, and universal voting rights.
The multi-day fair has been labeled a ghost town by critics.
Despite Trump's claims of a "packed to the brim" crowd of 45,000 attendees on Truth Social, NBC News reported that the actual turnout was "nowhere near" that figure.
Only about half of the more than 1,000 attendees on opening day wore Trump-themed apparel. For them, the 250th birthday celebration took a backseat to seeing the president.
Among the attractions was a cow named Melania, honoring the first lady.
Piper Stolipher shared that her classmates chose the name while brainstorming patriotic themes for the anniversary. "We thought Melania would be a good idea because it’s the first lady’s name," she said.
The Next250 demonstration featured a "Declaration of Interdependence," calling for global cooperation over individualism.
Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage, emphasized shared values across political divides: "Everybody who works deserves to earn enough to feed their families."
Visitors were met with an absence of traditional state fair attractions.
No roller coasters or carnival rides were present, nor were classic foods like funnel cakes or corn dogs available.
Linda Sarsour, an organizer with Next250, clarified that their protest transcended Trump and his administration.
"This is about staking our place in the historic archive," she asserted.
The fair's centerpiece was a 110-foot Ferris wheel, yet large sections of the grounds remained empty.
At least 10 states and territories opted out of participation. Some booths from states like Connecticut and Oregon featured only backdrops and chairs.
The event quickly encountered logistical issues like power outages and melting ice cream.
Attendees reported generator failures that shut down the Ferris wheel for two hours. The following day, an entire shipment of ice cream melted due to ongoing electrical problems.
Participants at the Next250 event united around several "basic universal values," according to Sarsour.
"Neighbor to neighbor, we’re actually not as polarized as people want us to believe," she stated.
Aerial shots revealed sparse crowds at the Great American State Fair.
Several attractions were out of service; West Virginia's booth featured a driving simulator that was shut down due to air conditioning issues. North Carolina's exhibit faced backlash after displaying an "unapproved image" of the Confederate flag.
