Introduction: A Disappointing Fair Experience
Attendance at the Great American State Fair has been notably sparse, and the extreme heat has added to the discomfort for visitors. Among the few available concessions, a pretzel costs an exorbitant $25.
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Personal Reflections on Disappointing Fairs
Having attended several underwhelming fairs over the years, I am perhaps better equipped than most to assess the potential of Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair. For instance, I recall a small town fair in northwest England where the main attraction was a modest slide intended to be ridden on burlap sacks. Unfortunately, the owner forgot to bring the sacks, so my sister and I slid down on a T-shirt instead.
On another occasion, at a village fete in Longton, I won the main bingo prize—a whisky decanter accompanied by a bottle of whiskey. At 11 years old, I was unable to enjoy the prize fully as the decanter was broken, and older boys took the whiskey. More recently, I witnessed two farmers in Iowa engage in a heated argument over whose pumpkin was larger at a local fair.
Critical Reception of Trump’s Fair
Despite this background, the Trump National Mall fair sounds particularly dismal. Media outlets have been critical:
“A rather embarrassing flop,” said MS Now.
“A big ol’ dud,” was the verdict of another source.
“To put it simply, miserable,” stated the New Republic.
USA Today described witnessing the fair’s failure as “like watching your high school bully host a party that no one attends.”
Low Attendance and Malfunctioning Attractions
One significant issue was the low turnout. Additionally, the fair’s signature attraction, a relatively small ferris wheel, broke down on the first day. Organizers had claimed that 56 states and territories would be represented with individual booths, but several were absent due to cost concerns.
Opening Ceremony and Performer Withdrawals
The opening ceremony was planned as a musical extravaganza featuring acts such as Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, The Commodores, Morris Day and the Time, Young MC, and Flo Rida. However, most performers withdrew, with several citing unawareness of the event’s political undertones.
Instead, attendees on opening night witnessed a performance by Donald Trump himself, which took the form of a campaign-style rally. During this, Trump reiterated his usual claims about the United States being the “hottest country anywhere in the world.” Ironically, the Virginia booth was closed on Tuesday, and the fair itself was canceled on its second day due to a storm.
Controversies and Pricing Issues
The situation worsened when a Confederate flag was displayed at one of the booths, prompting a sponsor to withdraw support. Further negative publicity arose over the high prices at the event, including $25 for a pretzel, $23 for a turkey leg, and $9 for a lemonade.
Media Coverage and Public Perception
Fox News attempted to present a positive perspective on the fair, likening the experience to the White Star Line’s claim that passengers enjoyed a pleasant four days at sea before the Titanic disaster. The channel broadcast live from the fair on Monday to promote the event. However, as journalist name omitted observed, this only highlighted the very low attendance.
Conclusions and Lessons Learned
What can be concluded from this experience? Perhaps the lesson is to avoid hosting a large celebratory fair while facing significant challenges. Alternatively, if a fair is to be held, it should be well-organized and avoid controversial displays such as racist flags.
While the Trump fair is larger than those I attended as a child, those earlier fairs were enjoyable and affordable. For example, the sack/T-shirt slide cost only 20p. The scar on my knee from the T-shirt ripping during the slide remains a lasting memory.
