All articles tagged with #state fair
The Minnesota State Fair will feature 36 new food and drink options and nine new vendors for 2026, including picks like Pickle Pie and Surf ’N’ Turf Burger; several items are limited-time, a new Dockside Poppers venue opens in a new building with daily entertainment, and full lists and a location map are available ahead of the Aug. 27–Sept. 7 run.
BuzzFeed’s photo gallery curates 54 scenes from The Great American State Fair on the National Mall, showcasing state booths, patriotic displays, and a parade of quirky, surreal moments—from oversized lawn furniture and chair lifts to rodeos and celebrity appearances—capturing the carnival atmosphere and the event’s evolving spectacle with each image.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins visited Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair on the National Mall and reported growing angst and a potentially underwhelming turnout amid triple-digit heat, tight security, and a spectacle that didn’t live up to hype. She highlighted sparse crowds, stalls shuttered by heat, and a stage incident, while Flo Rida’s performance stood out as some acts canceled and the event faced scrutiny over attendance and security.
A skeptical take on Trump's Great American State Fair portrays a costly, poorly attended event plagued by a malfunctioning ferris wheel, power cuts, high prices, and political controversy—including a Confederate flag incident and abandoned performances—leading the writer to conclude that an unpopular president should not host such a celebratory spectacle.
Slate’s Molly Olmstead visits Trump’s Great American State Fair on the National Mall and finds it a dud: a partisan, rally-forward affair that crowds out entertainment, with sparse attendance, stage talks and booths from conservative groups, and only NASA/SpaceX displays offering visual interest. The fair feels more like a MAGA event than a traditional fair, and Trump himself has criticized the outcome as a failure to fuse politics with fun. By contrast with beloved state fairs, this event underscores how politics can supplant amusement at such gatherings.
The Great American State Fair on the National Mall opened to celebrate the U.S. 250th birthday but faced problems, including power outages that halted a Ferris wheel and melted ice cream, and participation gaps with at least 10 states opting out due to costs, leaving some booths with only backdrops. Massachusetts residents even staffed their booth as volunteers to compensate. While some states, like Texas, Nevada, and California, showcased interactive exhibits, others struggled, and the fair closed early due to rain, underscoring a rough start to the celebration.
DC sandwich shop Bub and Pop's says it never agreed to participate in the Great American State Fair, despite being listed in a Freedom 250 vendor lineup; owner Jon Taub says the invitation appeared to be for Eat250, but once they learned it was connected to the Trump-backed group, they declined, and Bub and Pop's will instead appear at a cheesesteak competition at Upside on Moore on July 25.
Trump is betting that a giant Ferris wheel and circus-style events will revive interest in his free, faltering Great American State Fair, following a string of canceled retro-concerts tied to his administration. The stunt, paired with his birthday celebrations, is aimed at energizing supporters and drawing attention away from controversy, but critics view the spectacle as tacky theater amid a campaign with uncertain momentum.
Five acts withdrew from Trump’s Great American State Fair, shrinking the event’s star power and forcing organizers to scramble for replacements ahead of the campaign appearances.
Heavy rains in Wisconsin caused record flooding in Milwaukee, leading to flood alerts, power outages, road closures, and the early cancellation of the Wisconsin State Fair, with no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.
Milwaukee experienced historic flash flooding due to over 5.7 inches of rain, causing road closures, water rescues, and the early closure of the Wisconsin State Fair, with more rain expected and ongoing flood risks.
The New York State Fairgrounds will open Chevy Court and the Coliseum for overflow crowds to watch a live stream of funeral services for Onondaga County Sheriff Lt. Michael Hoosock, who was killed in a shootout with an armed gunman. The addition of the Coliseum brings indoor seating to 10,000, and a North Carolina man has offered to donate a tractor-trailer with a mobile screen for Chevy Court viewers. The state fair's website states that Chevy Court can seat up to 30,000 people outside.
Jalen Tart, a reporter for WIS-TV in South Carolina, went viral after his reaction to tasting a Polish-style hot dog at the state fair was caught on camera. Viewers questioned whether Tart enjoyed the taste based on his body language, but he reassured them by saying it was "pretty good." The clip of Tart struggling to digest the food and his colleague's smirk garnered laughs online, with many appreciating the unique way black people communicate. Tart later explained that he took too big of a bite and learned his lesson. The Columbia State Fair is open until October 22.
Two Minnesota lawmakers, Reps. Rick Hansen and Frank Hornstein, plan to introduce legislation to increase transit options for visitors to the Minnesota State Fair. Their bill would direct the State Agricultural Society to create a transportation plan in collaboration with the Metropolitan Council, aiming to double the current transit service level and reduce traffic and parking. The lawmakers' goal is to improve the overall fair experience and address the high demand for park-and-ride options.