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Great American State Fair has rocky opening with outages and sparse crowds

cultureJun 28, 20261097,769

The Great American State Fair opened on the National Mall with a rocky start as power outages and ride delays left attractions stalled, ice cream melted and some programming faltered on the first day of the 16-day event. Organizers billed the dizzying showcase as including Abraham Lincoln holograms and free Frosties, but critics and reporters described a heavy Trump presence alongside sparse crowds and disorganized logistics. President Trump and organizers asserted large attendance, with a posted figure of 45,000, but Newsweek reported that claim is not backed by independent counts; NBC cited just over 1,000 and The Washington Post described only thin coverage of the fairgrounds. The fair had faced programming challenges in the weeks before opening, and those issues reappeared at kickoff, prompting fresh ridicule and scrutiny of how the event is run. The 16-day run continues amid ongoing disputes over crowd size and operational competence, leaving organizers to manage both logistics and public credibility as the fair proceeds.

amanda moore 🐢
@noturtlesoup17.bsky.social

Everyone is talking about Trump’s mock up arch at the Great American State Fair, so I filmed it from top to bottom and front to back for everyone who can’t see it in person.

13824h ago
Peter
@notalawyer.bsky.social

the great american state fair is more evidence that you cannot manufacture the vibes

10252h ago
m
@keptsimple.bsky.social

remarkable that they haven't been able to fill this fake state fair thing with MAGA idiots. dead movement.

8546h ago
Timothy McBride
@mcbridetd.bsky.social

Confederate flag flown at NC's Great American State Fair; removed after video emerges www.usatoday.com/story/news/u...

2936h ago
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