{"id":5033,"date":"2026-07-04T01:39:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T01:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/07\/04\/a-total-disappointment-revelers-face-unbearable-heat-at-great-american-state-fair\/"},"modified":"2026-07-04T01:39:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T01:39:38","slug":"a-total-disappointment-revelers-face-unbearable-heat-at-great-american-state-fair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=5033","title":{"rendered":"\u2018A total disappointment\u2019: revelers face unbearable heat at Great American State Fair"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-t7og0p\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"3a699c69-ff1c-4054-b0d1-60d590809f5f\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A model of Trump's planned triumphal arch, a ferris wheel  and the national monument\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/a75996280ce9be99a806f875eead2656bcf3ba25\/410_0_5000_4000\/master\/5000.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"372\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Tented pavilions and marquees dominate the National Mall in Washington DC as the US marks its 250th anniversary<\/span> Photograph: Joe Raedle\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"3a699c69-ff1c-4054-b0d1-60d590809f5f\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Tented pavilions and marquees dominate the National Mall in Washington DC as the US marks its 250th anniversary<\/span> Photograph: Joe Raedle\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">\u2018A total disappointment\u2019: revelers face unbearable heat at Great American State Fair<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-vyfjyx\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1kvrm3n\">\n<p>Attendance had been thin to Trump\u2019s \u2018unbelievable\u2019 event before an increase on Friday \u2013 and then the high temperatures swept in<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Even by Trumpian standards, the event was promoted with intense hyperbole: nothing short, the US president suggested, of the \u201cthe most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cIt\u2019s gonna be great,\u201d Donald Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/25\/donald-trump-america-250-birthday-great-state-fair\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">proclaimed on the opening night<\/a> of the Great American State Fair, the centerpiece of the US 250th anniversary celebrations. \u201cIt\u2019s gonna be unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">In the heart of US capital, a small village of tented pavilions and marquees representing states and territories from across the US has taken over the National Mall. And on Friday morning Dave Forster, 63, was apparently struggling to believe his eyes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">A \u201cfriggin\u200b\u2019 patriot\u201d who had traveled from his home in Washington state to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/washington-dc\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Washington DC<\/a> to mark the milestone, Forster thought many of the state offerings \u201csucked\u201d, he told the Guardian. \u201cThey\u2019ve had how long? It\u2019s just a total disappointment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">It was unclear whether he had seen the two-dimensional cutout of a grand champion market goat in Nebraska\u2019s pavilion; the toy Caterpillar industrial machines, in a sandpit inexplicably filled with corn, in Illinois; or the two giant dice in the corner of Nevada.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">As revelers turned up to explore the fair this weekend, however, the key draw of each state\u2019s offering was not imagination or interactivity, but how much of an escape it offered from the blistering sun.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Temperatures are expected to exceed 100F (37.8C) in Washington amid a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/03\/heatwave-world-cup-250th-anniversary\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">scorching blanket<\/a> across the much of the US. Maybe this is what the president means when he declares it now to be the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/jan\/13\/trump-microsoft-data-centers-electricity\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">hottest<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jan\/20\/us-foreign-policy-mad-king-trump-whims\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">country<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture\/2026\/may\/19\/jon-stewart-trump-china-visit\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">in<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2025\/jul\/14\/trump-says-club-world-cup-trophy-will-remain-in-oval-office-after-tournaments-end\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">the<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/may\/24\/trump-west-point-graduation\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">world<\/a>\u201d. According to NBC Washington, more than a dozen people were treated for heat illness and injury at the state fair before it closed, and 11 people were taken to the hospital.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">A mother, waiting to clear security with her young family, spoke for many of those present when her son started to plead to go home. \u201cAfter we get this through this line,\u201d she assured him, \u201cwe\u2019re going to find air conditioning.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"11872f48-fb3a-4e7f-ba8b-0a13c5f7423d\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-2\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jets and a banner of Donald Trump\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/88e3a1721cacba60b37780e57a8f776142752bdd\/0_0_7009_4674\/master\/7009.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.75131973177344\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-2\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"11872f48-fb3a-4e7f-ba8b-0a13c5f7423d\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">A series of military flyovers took place in Washington on Friday.<\/span> Photograph: Nathan Howard\/AP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Inside the Arkansas pavilion, one host deftly read the room. \u201cDid you hear about the sweepstakes?\u201d she asked several blank faces at they wandered through the door. The prize is a free trip to the state, she explained, but when you enter, \u201cyou get a cooling towel, or a fan\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">With a series of military flyovers scheduled, the theme of Friday\u2019s programming \u2013 following \u201cMaha (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/nov\/08\/maha-food-safety-laws-us\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Make America Healthy Again<\/a>) Monday\u201d and Thursday\u2019s \u201cHorsepower of America\u201d \u2013 was \u201cWings of Freedom\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">In the preceding days, shots of the National Mall <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/atrupar\/status\/2072007633641390324\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">on Fox News<\/a> indicated that a great many of those who organizers had hoped would rush to the fair had, indeed, taken flight.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Some steered clear because they thought the event had veered from patriotic celebration to partisan festival, according to Forster. \u201cThey took it to be political,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not meant to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">For much of the week, as it grappled with thin crowds, the event was hit by a series of negative headlines. Images of the Confederate flag were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/politics-news\/confederate-flag-image-removed-north-carolina-booth-great-american-sta-rcna352203\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">removed from North Carolina\u2019s state booth<\/a>. A section of the main stage <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thedailybeast.com\/dancers-dodge-death-as-donald-trumps-state-fair-stage-falls-apart\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">fell to the floor<\/a>, narrowly missing a troupe of dancers, during rehearsals. And some prices at food and snack stalls, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/food\/2026\/06\/30\/best-worst-most-bizarre-foods-great-american-state-fair\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">from turkey legs for $23 to \u201cred, white and blue\u201d ice for $7<\/a>, were certainly unforgettable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">But the arrival of the holiday weekend boosted attendance. Many traveled from far and wide.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cI love it,\u201d said James Bytner, from Virginia, who was in town with his brother. \u201cIt means freedom,\u201d he said of his country\u2019s birthday. \u201cIt means we can walk around and do what we want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Bytner declined to disclose his age, but said he had been in Washington for the 204th anniversary. This time around? \u201cSo far, so good.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">A distant rumble erupted into a roar overhead as several jets tore through the sky.<em><\/em>\u201cThat\u2019s why we came,\u201d shouted Bytner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Some deliberately stayed away. Officials in a string of states <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/06\/11\/politics\/several-states-not-participating-trump-state-fair\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">declined to participate<\/a> or make significant investment into the fair, leaving their respective booths relatively sparse. Oregon, for example, said the event was shaping up to be \u201ca more partisan affair\u201d than initially presented.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThey didn\u2019t get any money for theirs, either,\u201d one woman laughed to a fellow attendee as she walked into, and promptly out of, the California pavilion. She did not spend long examining the sole photo of the Golden Gate Bridge on the wall, or the TV helpfully showing where the state can be found on Google Earth.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"fc485b47-5b32-4d60-8d3c-95b7b8608632\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-3\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Attendees at the Great American State Fair\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/2c82edff8098efc86f82bff45b98f367a6920886\/0_0_8316_5544\/master\/8316.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.66666666666663\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-3\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"fc485b47-5b32-4d60-8d3c-95b7b8608632\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">The Great American State Fair was organized to mark the US semiquincentennial.<\/span> Photograph: Allison Robbert\/AP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The messages Washington DC encouraged visitors to scrawl across the walls of its space neatly captured the polarizing discourse that continues to ensnare the nation during its semiquincentennial.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cAmerica is back!!\u201d claimed one. \u201cTrump 2028,\u201d read another. \u201cLETS ALL GET ALONG,\u201d implored a third. Others seized an opportunity to needle the current occupant of the White House, and his agenda. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/dec\/04\/washingon-dc-trump-national-guard\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">FREE DC<\/a>!\u201d read one. \u201cRelease the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/28\/trump-refiles-10bn-lawsuit-against-wsj-over-report-on-alleged-epstein-ties\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Epstein Files<\/a>,\u201d urged another. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/28\/no-kings-protests-trump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">No kings<\/a>,\u201d said one.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">John, who declined to provide his second name, traveled with his wife from\u200b Tampa, Florida, to mark the anniversary \u2013 but intended to steer well clear of politics. The Fourth of July is about \u201ctrying to find common ground, and celebrate in something that\u2019s bigger than us\u201d, he said. \u201cThis is about as neutral as you can get it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">While the president has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/25\/donald-trump-america-250-birthday-great-state-fair\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">urged Americans<\/a> to \u201cplease show up\u201d to his address on Saturday night, John wasn\u2019t really interested. It is \u201cprobably the very bottom of my list to listen to anyone\u201d over the holiday weekend, he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Trump might be headlining this event with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/24\/trump-freedom-250-great-american-state-fair\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">campaign rally-style speeches<\/a>, but in a city where banners of his face remain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/feb\/19\/trump-banner-justice-department\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">draped over federal government buildings<\/a>, his mark \u2013 typically anything but subtle \u2013 was largely absent, with one notable exception.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"4662b2e1-f4a6-4979-bf70-7880c56699b9\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-4\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Washington\u2019s National Mall during the Great American State Fair\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4431a45473211412f1e843b89224a284c4228f31\/0_0_8192_5464\/master\/8192.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.8115234375\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-4\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"4662b2e1-f4a6-4979-bf70-7880c56699b9\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Crowds were thin at the Great American State Fair earlier this week<\/span> Photograph: Anadolu\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Standing in the middle of the fair, next to a ferris wheel, was a model of the 250ft triumphal arch \u2013 dubbed \u201cArc de Trump\u201d \u2013 the president is pushing to install in Washington.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">While not lifesize, the arch was big enough to fulfill the duty most nearby visitors appeared to welcome it providing. Dozens sheltered in the shadow it cast onto the road.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">But patches of shade and free bottles of water were ultimately not enough as temperatures crept up from uncomfortable to unbearable. \u201cAttention,\u201d blared the speakers. The event was postponed. Guest were instructed to head for the exits \u2013 and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Freedom250\/status\/2073094885867975109\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">promised<\/a> the site would reopen after 5pm.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">After filling up at last, the National Mall started to empty once again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-politics\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/washington-dc\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Washington DC<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/features\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">features<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=%E2%80%98A%20total%20disappointment%E2%80%99:%20revelers%20face%20unbearable%20heat%20at%20Great%20American%20State%20Fair&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/03\/great-american-state-washington-dc?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fjul%2F03%2Fgreat-american-state-washington-dc&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/jul\/03\/great-american-state-washington-dc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-zfobkz\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tented pavilions and marquees dominate the National Mall in Washington DC as the US marks its 250th anniversary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":5035,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}