Great American Fair Not Drawing Great American Crowd on Day One

If Americans are going to flock to the Trump administration’s Great American State Fair, they certainly weren’t doing it when the doors opened Thursday.

The massive, nostalgic fair has overtaken much of the National Mall, with a presidential rally to kick things off and Air Force flyovers to punctuate opening day. But within the gates of the fair itself, there were vast stretches of open grass and a high ratio of workers to actual visitors.

The Metro was uncrowded and the lines for security were a breeze — which could be signs of good planning or middling daytime attendance. Organizers had encouraged attendees at the free fair to obtain timed-entry passes to avoid a wait, but, at least today, that didn’t look necessary.

Once inside, guests perused a world’s fair-style array of 150 exhibits, including booths from all U.S. states and territories — although a half-dozen declined to participate. Wait times for food and activities were also minimal.

But where Trump critics had warned of a politicized atmosphere, the visitors who did attend the sprawling festival looked more like ordinary tourists visiting Washington than devotees attending a MAGA rally. Interspersed with the families were occasional lanyard-wearing downtown office workers taking it all in.

“I wanted to come before everybody got off work,” said Katherine Dubke, a teacher from Alexandria on her summer break. Originally from California, Dubke said she disagreed with the idea of not attending just because of politics. “The USA is more than one person,” she said. “It’s the grand timeline. It’s bigger than a blip.”

For Washingtonians accustomed to big activities on the Mall, the fair’s Ferris wheel may be the most notable element. But, up close, the 110-foot wheel actually looks small compared with those at more traditional fairs.

It was also still the Mall: Inside the security enclosure, there were few benches and even less shade. Stapled onto the air-conditioned enclosures was a vinyl-like material patterned to look like grand columns.

And the president’s role was a big plus for at least some in the crowd.

“I’m a true American patriot,” said Patty Corey, 64, sporting a red “America Is Back” hat.

Corey came from Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and attended Wednesday night’s political rally, which she said was her first political rally.

“This is about unity to me… I feel like that’s what he’s trying to do,” she said.