It’s not only musicians declining to participate in the Great American State Fair to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary.
Several Democrat-led states reportedly will not send a delegation to the 16-day fair.
According to NOTUS, officials from Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Oregon said they won’t officially send a delegation.
Pennsylvania and Washington remain uncommitted, with the celebration scheduled to begin on June 25.
President Trump’s big birthday bash for America is suffering more setbacks, as at least six states — Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Oregon — plan to sit out the Great American State Fair.https://t.co/m808LGby43
— NOTUS (@NOTUSreports) June 11, 2026
NOTUS has more:
Maryland originally told NOTUS it had not decided if it will participate, but has since confirmed it will be in attendance.
The fair is just one example of how participants involved in the 250th celebrations are stuck in a confusing battle between two organizations over the funding and ideology for the nation’s birthday party.
America 250, the bipartisan commission created by Congress a decade ago, has a decentralized mandate focused on educational and volunteer programming. Freedom 250, which the Trump administration created late last year, is planning massive entertainment spectacles including the fair, an Ultimate Fighting Championship bout and an IndyCar race, as well as what the White House called “an unprecedented gathering of tall ships” in New York Harbor.
Rachel Reisner, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, said ultimately “all 50 states and U.S. territories will be represented.”
“We are actively finalizing the details for several states right now, and we look forward to sharing the full picture very soon — the response has been incredible and we couldn’t be more energized by what’s coming together,” Reisner said in a statement. “Whether represented by a governor’s office, a tourism board, or a beloved state company or organization, every community will be celebrated, and every American will see themselves in this once-in-a-generation event.”
Cathryn Vaulman, director of communications in the office of Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, told Deseret News that the state’s “decision to decline participation in the Great American State Fair came down to resources.”
“We chose to focus our energy where it will have the greatest impact for our residents — on the many celebrations being planned across the state,” Vaulman said, according to the outlet.
Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair hit snags in recent weeks as its 16-day concert series unraveled. Now, some states won’t be participating. https://t.co/eZQvuXngc5
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) June 11, 2026
Deseret News explained further:
To participate in the fair, states are supposed to maintain a 600-square-foot booth with interactive experiences that highlight the unique heritage and culture of their state, which can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
North Carolina is also unable to attend “due to the expenditures required to participate,” said Michele Walker, assistant communications director in the North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, in a statement to the Deseret News.
“Our limited resources are focused on America 250 events across North Carolina,” Walker said.
The state is hosting multiple local events, including an all-day festival of its own at the state Capitol in Raleigh on July 4.
While every state that has declined the invitation to attend is led by a Democratic governor, none of the states provided statements citing political reasons for not attending to the Deseret News.
