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Pennsylvania opts out of Trump's 250th state fair celebration

Mike D'Onofrio

Aerial view of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., with its dome and wings, surrounded by trees. The National Mall extends forward with green lawns, tents, and a Ferris wheel in the foreground. — The National Mall on the first day of the Great American State Fair on Thursday in Washington, D.C. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Pennsylvania is skipping the Trump-backed 250th anniversary celebration on the National Mall.

The big picture: Several other states, mostly led by Democratic governors like Pennsylvania, and musicians have opted out of the Great American State Fair as the event has become increasingly politicized and associated with President Trump's agenda.

State of play: After weeks of uncertainty, a spokesperson for the state's Department of Community & Economic Development tells Axios that VisitPA is not sending representatives to the fair, which kicked off Thursday.

The reason: High costs and not being able to secure Pennsylvania businesses to sponsor the booth.

Context: The Freedom 250 nonprofit, which organized the celebration, built a booth and pavilion for every state and six territories at the fair, per Axios Denver's John Frank.

But participating states must cover the costs of designing, decorating and shipping their exhibits to Washington, D.C.

Worth noting: The Great American State Fair runs through July 10.

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Pennsylvania opts out of Trump's 250th state fair celebration

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