Great American State Fair brings mosaic of nation’s identity to Washington

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 U.S. is just days away from celebrating its 250th anniversary.

From bouquets of chiles hanging inside New Mexico’s exhibit to a talking hologram of Illinois’ Abraham Lincoln greeting guests in its 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 criss-crossed the grassy strips of the Mall to collect stamps from each of the 50 states and a handful 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 photoshoots, as did some high level dignitaries who decided to give their state’s displays a more interactive feel.

“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 their fifth birthdays, as well photos from around Ohio, such as Tom’s Ice Cream Bowl in Zanesville.

States that invested in those personal touches stood out among the different offerings.

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 tykes fiddle around in a dinosaur dig site with brushes and hammers, while also allowing people to step inside the tent of a seasoned outdoorsman.

And Arizona was so popular it had a line queuing up outside its pavilion. The Times could not endure the wait, but the state’s Office of Tourism said guests were given an immersive tour of Antelope Canyon, the Ponderosa Pine Forest and had a glimpse of what the stars look like in the open desert.

There was some friendly jockeying of which icon belonged to which state.

For example, Mississippi’s exhibit pointed out that it was the birthplace of the late “Margaritaville” singer Jimmy Buffett, while Florida’s pavilion a few spots down said Buffett’s music turned the Florida Keys lifestyle into a global phenomenon.

But 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 is 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 currently resides near Fredericksburg, Virginia, but lived in both Illinois and Utah beforehand, said she was surprised the event wasn’t more packed.

She said she was especially shocked because the opening ceremony Wednesday night, which included a speech from Mr. Trump, had inspired 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 singers, such as Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, the Commodores and Young MC, all pulled out of the event over fears it was highly political.

Mr. Trump decided to hold a rally to launch the event instead, which seemed to deepen feelings that this was an event for one side of America more than the other.

But that wasn’t the perception for Darren Pasha.

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 until July 10 on the National Mall.