As people travel from all over the country to visit the nation’s capital, glimmers of patriotism are sprinkled around the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.
Little girls run around the grassy National Mall doing cartwheels in their red, white, and blue attire. Across the mall, young boys stop by the Department of War booth, getting war paint on their faces from active-duty service members. As the sun sets on the Capitol building, a young family from Kentucky cheers “USA! USA! USA!” as the U.S. plays in the World Cup.
Despite criticism that the fair is a “flop” and some states not showing up to represent, the Great American State Fair is doing exactly what it was intended to do: create lifelong memories in little patriots so they can carry on the torch for the next 250 years.
When President Trump first stepped into office in January 2025, he made it clear in an executive order that “[i]t is the policy of the United States… to provide a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026.”
This week, that grand celebration is expressed on the smiling faces and in the laughter of children who traveled across the country to stay up past their bedtime and party hard.
The fair has daily programming from June 25 through July 10, with each day focused on a specific theme “celebrating the people, traditions, innovations, and spirit that make America the greatest nation on Earth.” It features more than 150 exhibits from 56 states, territories, government agencies, and businesses with events like youth livestock showcases, daily rodeos, live music, and educational speakers.
Visitors can travel to almost every state, meet local representatives, and be immersed in decorations that showcase what makes each state so special.
“I can see all the states in one place and also what’s different in each state,” Manny Casanova from Marietta, Georgia, told The Federalist. “The United States is so unique… I don’t think there’s any other country like it.”
When visiting the U.S. Treasury Department booth, patriots born after Jan. 1, 2025, are eligible to open a Trump Account and receive a $1,000 contribution from the Treasury Department.
Kids who stop by the booth get a free bag full of swag that encourages financial savings and says, “I’m a little investor… Every coin I save helps my future… I’m dreaming big… My future starts today.”
At the Department of War booth, little patriots can shake hands, get face paint, and take pictures with active-duty service members from the Marine Corps, Navy, Army, Space Force, and Air Force. There’s also a scavenger hunt to find historical facts from the last 250 years so kids can connect with history.
The fair has also received criticism for appearing empty, with The Washington Post reporting that the crowd size is “sparse compared with past National Mall events” and the New Republic writing it “lacked energy — and people.”
Although the fair often looks empty during the middle of a work day, spreading the fair out across the vast National Mall helps ensure visitors aren’t crowded shoulder to shoulder. The National Mall’s grassy fields are also heaven for little girls wanting to flex their cartwheel skills and kids with the itch to run around.
However, the state booths could’ve been more consistent with their decor. Each state managed their own booth and relied on private sponsorships or tax dollars to fund them. States like Kansas and South Dakota have displays with nothing but metal pipes holding up panels of state facts printed on white canvas.
The estimated budget of $100,000 to fund the booth and staffers was a struggle for some states and one reason why states such as Maine decided not to participate, according to NPR. However, many other states were able to gather private donors together to ensure their state was represented.
After Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro pulled out of the fair at the last minute claiming “there weren’t any businesses from the state interested in being featured at the festival,” Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Dave McCormick and Democrat Sen. John Fetterman stepped in to make sure the Keystone Stone state was represented. In just a few days, they gathered private sponsors to help fund the booth, filling it with the most beautiful display of historic American flags.
States who opted out of the fair due to poor planning or a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome missed a vital opportunity to honor America, do something positive, and encourage the next generation of little patriots.
Despite some disappointments, other state booths do well, with coloring activities for kids and interactive games. Indiana displays their claims to fame through mini-golf courses and Nebraska offers a Union Pacific train simulator. Florida gives out free manatee and alligator stuffed animals. Many visitors even said Florida was their favorite booth. The Sunshine State consistently had the longest line throughout the week leading up to Independence Day and the most immersive decor.
On the east side of the mall, horses and cows fill the rodeo arena with daily shows where little patriots can watch bull riding, horse bucking, and cow herding. Cowboys and cowgirls even walk over to the fences at the end of every show to let the kids pet the animals and take pictures.
“The story of the cowboy is the story of America,” said Binion Cervi of Cervi Rodeo Company, the company behind the fair’s rodeo. “As our nation celebrates 250 years of freedom, innovation, and perseverance, there is no better place than the National Mall to honor the men and women whose grit, determination, and spirit helped build the American West.”
The daily rodeos give little patriots a taste of the American West, and with it the American spirit, right on historic soil. Every volunteer and booth leaves kids with encouragement to pursue their own American Dream, leaving the next 250 years of America in good hands, one little patriot at a time.
