West Virginia lets visitors hop behind a video game steering wheel to simulate a drive along its country roads. Ohio highlights its state parks. Montana’s display showcases a mock dinosaur skeleton.
But as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Keystone State — where the Declaration of Independence itself was signed — has opted out of a Washington, D.C. event tied to the festivities.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration confirmed this week that Pennsylvania did not send a representative to the Great American State Fair, which kicked off Thursday on the National Mall.
“Unfortunately, due to the high cost to taxpayers and not being able to secure PA businesses to sponsor the booth, Pennsylvania will not be a participant,” said the state Department of Community and Economic Development in a statement.
A Shapiro spokesperson said Freedom 250, the nonprofit aligned with President Donald Trump, requested $700,000 from states to participate. Instead, DCED said the state tourism bureau has used millions of dollars to support its own events and those of America 250, a separate group created by Congress.
Shapiro himself told a progressive outlet this week that state officials couldn’t find a participant due to “lack of interest.” And the governor also said the celebrations were too politicized, causing several musical artists to drop out of a concert during the 16-day event. (Trump has reportedly retooled the concert as a political rally.)
“We don’t celebrate one individual, We celebrate ‘we, the people.’ Unfortunately, the president doesn’t seem to get that,” Shapiro told the New Republic.
Democratic governors from other states such as Illinois, Oregon and Washington also declined to officially participate. A photo Thursday from Maine’s booth showed a nearly-empty room with decorated wall wrap and two wicker chairs. Later in the day, some visitors reported power outages when visiting the tented food hall.
But Pennsylvania’s Republican Party said Shapiro was being “an embarrassment for Pennsylvania.”
“Pennsylvania is one of only eight states with Democratic governors who decided not to participate,” the state GOP said in a social-media statement. “Pennsylvania is where America was born, where we became a free nation, and where our founding documents were signed.”
The Shapiro administration said it reached out to the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, a private trade group, to help find a participant. But there were no takers.
“The Governor’s team asked us for assistance with business outreach for the Great American State Fair a couple weeks ago,” said PA Chamber’s Jon Anzur in a statement to WESA.
That appears to have been a smaller window than in, say, Ohio, which began planning as early as February for its event. And “while there was some initial interest,” Anzur said, “the businesses couldn’t make a commitment given the short timeframe.”
Event organizers appear to be playing down the dispute. Pennsylvania is listed on the Freedom 250 exhibit list, and in a statement the organization said all 50 states and territories will have booths.
“Whether represented by a governor’s office, a tourism board, or a beloved state company or organization, every community will be celebrated, and every American will see themselves in this once-in-a-generation event,” said spokesperson Rachel Reisner in an email.
“For a few states, cost was a concern, and it’s why many partnered with a number of organizations with deep roots to their state, ranging from tourism bureaus to companies large and small,” she said.
But reports from D.C. showed the Pennsylvania booth was empty as of Thursday. And Reisner did not respond when WESA asked who may eventually represent the state at the event, which runs until July 10.