The two states are among at least six that are declining to participate in the “Great American State Fair” that kicks off in late June and extends past the Fourth of July weekend.
“The State of Oregon will not be participating in the Great American State Fair due to both the cost of participating in the Fair and growing concerns that the event in Washington, D.C. is shaping up to be a more partisan affair than originally presented,” Luke Harkins, a spokesman for Gov. Tina Kotek, said in a statement.
The Trump administration has called the two-week state fair a “modern-day World’s Fair” celebrating the country. It touts family-friendly attractions, movie screenings, flyovers by military aircraft, and pavilions representing every state in the nation.
But some Democratic-led states are refusing to send resources to fill their pavilions. According to CNN, Massachusetts, Illinois, North Carolina and Connecticut are also declining to participate. Pennsylvania has not decided whether to attend, the outlet reported Thursday.
“Our state is facing a very difficult fiscal situation,” Washington Lt. Gov. Denny Heck said in a statement. “With that in mind, given the significant costs associated with participating in the Great American State Fair, we chose to focus on supporting local efforts here in Washington state for this very important commemoration.”
According to the Kotek’s office, costs associated with participating in the event included roughly $70,000 in shipping.
Kotek also was concerned that the celebration was taking on overt political overtones, Harkins said. A number of musical acts have canceled performances because the fair was shaping up to be more partisan than they were comfortable with. Trump himself is now slated to headline the fair’s June 24 kickoff event.
While Oregon and Washington are not sending resources or staff, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, the nonprofit putting on the event, told CNN all states will still be represented. For instance, a museum in Peoria has stepped up to build out the Illinois exhibit, the outlet reported.
It was not clear Friday how Oregon and Washington would be represented.
Kotek’s office drew a distinction between the Trump-aligned fair and America 250, the nonpartisan organization that is helping to organize festivities around the country to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“The Governor will still be proudly celebrating America’s semiquincentennial here in Oregon,” Harkins wrote.
