America's 250 state fair is getting roasted. How Virginia compares

What they're saying: The Washington Post deemed the Trump administration-backed Freedom 250 event "crushingly dull" while the Washingtonian called it "bleak," Axios D.C.'s Anna Spiegel and Mimi Montgomery report.

• Online, people are posting photos of sparse crowds, flimsy-looking booths, and underwhelming state exhibits, including Virginia's, which Redditors say is "lame."

Zoom in: Virginia's booth features a LOVE sign and banners with historical facts and is, in fact, "a little lackluster," Spiegel confirms.

• "I definitely wouldn't truck down to the National Mall on a 100 degree day for it," she say, adding that Virginia's is "not as good as Florida (which had a mini putt-putt and 'Florida Man"'wall), or Utah with a ski lift."
• But Virginia's is "better than Maine, Oregon and Washington, which just had a chair," she adds.

Follow the money: The state spent $5,000 on its booth, which cover its expenses and programming for the 16-day fair, Virginia Tourism spokesperson Juliana Thomas tells Axios.

• That's a lot less than some states, like Ohio — which is spending $750,000 to attend, per Axios Columbus — or even Colorado, which ponied up $200,000 for its booth, per Axios Denver.