Several US states have declined an invitation from the Trump administration to participate in the ‘Great American State Fair’, a patriotic World’s Fair featuring pavilions created by every US state and territory.

States Cite Costs and Partisan Concerns

Officials from Oregon, Washington, and North Carolina told CNN they declined the invitation due to costs and concerns about the event’s partisan nature. Pennsylvania has yet to decide whether it will participate.

A spokesperson for Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, pointed to concerns about the partisan nature of the event, set to open June 25 and last about two weeks. ‘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,’ spokesperson Luke Harkin said.

Freedom 250, the Trump-aligned nonprofit putting together the fair, said that every state’s story will be told in a way that’s authentic to its people, history, and culture. The group shared renderings of pavilions that 21 states have already proposed, including a mini-golf course for South Carolina, a replica of the Alamo for Texas, and a fossil digging station for Montana.

Controversy Surrounds the Event

The event has been marred by controversy, with several musicians pulling out of a planned performance and Democrats criticizing the administration’s handling of the celebrations. Watchdog groups have raised alarm about the lack of transparency around Freedom 250, a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Park Foundation that does not have to disclose its donors.

Tim Whitehouse, the executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), told CNN that Trump’s ‘partisan events’ are ‘not what the American people deserve on their 250th birthday.’ PEER has sued the Trump administration over its refusal to release key documents related to Freedom 250.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.