Here Are the States That Refused to Participate in the Great American Fair

It’s no surprise this happened, but it’s America’s 250^th birthday, and these states chose not to take part in the Great American State Fair, which kicked off last week. It will run until July 10, but some states have labeled it a MAGA event, even though that’s not true. It’s a state fair, folks. When a comedian like Bill Maher says, " Get a grip and just celebrate our nation’s birthday, you know the Left has once again lost its mind.

A dozen states have rejected sending a delegation, and to the shock of no one, they’re mostly all blue states:

10 states—Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Pennsylvania—have confirmed they will not send an official delegation to the “Great American State Fair” on the National Mall in celebration of America’s 250th.… pic.twitter.com/OIQIsDRiPk
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) June 28, 2026

This is one of the most petty and disgraceful examples of politics I think I’ve ever seen. https://t.co/l4nZMsHhlv
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) June 28, 2026

Even NBC News had to admit that this event isn’t political:

The fair features food and culture booths from all 56 states and territories, as well as displays from federal government agencies, in temporary halls lining several blocks of the Mall that kept people dry while it drizzled at some points Saturday morning. In the middle, a massive Ferris wheel extends into the sky, just beyond a scaled-down replica of the arch Trump hopes to build permanently in the capital.
[…]
The state fair has been promoted by Trump and members of his administration, who have been accused of injecting partisanship into a nonpartisan anniversary.
But over a dozen attendees Saturday — on both sides of the political aisle — told NBC News that they didn’t feel the atmosphere at the fair had any kind of political tint even as Trump has tried to redesign Washington in his image and as musical acts dropped out of the event.
“It’s kind of neat, because here it’s just been all about America, and I haven’t seen the political things,” Pamela L., 59, who was visiting the capital from Virginia Beach, Virginia, for her husband’s annual birthday trip, told NBC News. “People are just being people [and] enjoying, you know, they’re being kind, opening the doors, holding them for each other, and it’s just kind of neat to see.”
[…]
Nicole Briggs, 52, and Heather Hatter, 48, who also traveled from Virginia to see the fair with their children, said that they didn’t feel any particular political views were being imparted.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event for our generation,” Briggs said, adding later: “I think it’s a great atmosphere. The vibe is great.”
[…]
Daniela Guerrero, 25, lives here and came to the state fair expecting to see Republican-tinged programming.
“I think we heard a lot, like in our communities, that it was gonna be like a MAGA rally,” she said. Her friend Grace Guber, 27, echoed, “100%.”
“It, I think, has been very much nonpartisan,” Guerrero added. “The people showing up have been a mix of tourists just trying to, like, celebrate freedom.”
Lloyd and Melinda Paris traveled from Georgia with their grandchildren on their way back from one of their grandson’s baseball games in New York.
Lloyd Paris, 76, said that what Trump has done in Washington is “amazing” but that “I didn’t come here because I’m a certain political persuasion.”