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Great American State Fair opens with power outages, empty booths
USA Today • • nation
Key Points:
- The Great American State Fair, held at the National Mall to celebrate the U.S. 250th birthday, has faced challenges including power outages, melting ice cream, and lack of participation from at least 10 states and territories citing cost concerns.
- Some states like Connecticut, Oregon, and Alaska only had minimal booth setups, while others such as Texas, Nevada, and California created elaborate, interactive exhibits to engage visitors.
- Visitors expressed disappointment over states opting out, with some individuals like a retired teacher from Massachusetts volunteering independently to represent their state.
- Electrical issues caused major disruptions, including a two-hour shutdown of the Ferris wheel and food service problems due to melted ice cream and unavailable menu items.
- Despite setbacks, attendees enjoyed interactive exhibits and state-themed attractions, though the fair closed early on June 26 due to rain.
