The Great American State Fair wanted unity. It got a political fight
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Work is underway to build out the Great American State Fair on the National Mall. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The National Mall's Great American State Fair is being billed as a World's Fair-sized celebration. Critics are likening it to the disastrous Fyre Festival.
Why it matters: An event designed to unite the country around America's 250th birthday is already showing signs of fracture, with performers dropping out, critics questioning its political ties and organizers defending its mission.
Driving the news: Five of the fair's nine concert headliners backed out shortly after being announced this week, including country star Martina McBride, rapper Young MC and rocker Bret Michaels.
- Several cited being misled about the fair and its political affiliation.
- Freedom 250, a Trump-founded public-private partnership, is driving many 250th anniversary events around D.C. involving the president, including the UFC fight on the White House lawn and the polarizing "Rededicate 250" prayer event on the Mall.
Friction point: McBride wrote on Instagram that she agreed to "a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate ALL 50 states," but ultimately, that's "not what is happening."
- Michaels said the fair had become "much more divisive" than the patriotic celebration he originally agreed to join, and cited concerns about threats directed at him and his team.
Zoom out: The internet went wild. Cancellation bingo cards were made. California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office weighed in with a new lineup (spoiler: "even Hannibal Lecter canceled"). And of course, there's a new Marco Rubio meme.
- Where the artists who canceled took to social media to explain their actions, praise and derision broke out in the comments, with McBride's post garnering more than 10,000 alone.
State of play: Freedom 250 organizers insist the event remains nonpartisan and inclusive.
- A spokesperson tells Axios the fair is intended as a celebration for all Americans, and says organizers remain focused on creating a "once-in-a-lifetime" gathering that unites the country around its 250th birthday, despite the artists' departing.
Yes, but: Critics point to daily programming themes like "MAHA Mondays" and "Faith & Family" as evidence of a MAGA celebration.
Zoom in: When the headliners were announced earlier this week, few details had been made public about what visitors would actually experience on the Mall. Organizers shared new details with Axios on Friday:
- All 50 states and six U.S. territories are offered 600 feet of exhibit space to showcase their culture, history and industries.
- All 50 governors from both parties were invited to participate through designated state representatives.
- Planned exhibits include an Arizona-inspired Antelope Canyon experience, a Spanish fort recreation from Florida honoring explorer Ponce de León, and a Michigan agriculture display featuring a mechanical milking cow.
- Five national pavilions celebrate broader American themes, including "Made in America" and "American Heartland."
- The fair will feature traditional state fair attractions, including Blue Ribbon livestock competitions and a 110-foot Ferris wheel.
- Corporate partners include John Deere, which plans hands-on demonstrations of agricultural technology, and defense company Northrop Grumman, which will offer a flight simulator experience featuring military aircraft.
The big picture: The fair is one piece of a broader slate of Freedom 250-backed events, including Fourth of July celebrations, an attempt at a world-record fireworks display, and a FIFA World Cup Fan Zone on the Mall.
- All with a backdrop of Trump's controversial Reflecting Pool makeover, which is targeting a reopening date before the fair begins.
What we're watching: Major logistical questions remain unanswered, including crowd management, security screening, road closures and bathroom capacity.
- The National Park Service and D.C. Police officials tell Axios plans are still being finalized and will be released in the coming weeks.