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The biggest buzz around President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair Saturday wasn’t on the National Mall - it was online, where a bizarre tribute to first lady Melania Trump drew attention as new photos appeared to show another day of sparse crowds.
The 16-day event, which opened Wednesday with remarks from Trump, is part of the nation's yearlong celebration of America's 250th anniversary. Organizers promoted the fair as a patriotic showcase featuring all 50 states, family attractions, live entertainment and exhibits celebrating the country's history and culture.
The fairgrounds include just a few main attractions, like a 110-foot Ferris wheel and a plywood “Triumph Arch” modeled after a monument Trump has proposed near Arlington National Cemetery. Visitors expecting a traditional state fair will find few familiar staples, as there are no roller coasters, midway games or carnival rides and no classic foods like funnel cakes or corn dogs.
Photos circulating throughout the weekend appear to show large stretches of the fairgrounds sitting mostly empty. In one of the most striking images, captured Saturday by The Associated Press, musician Jason Hershey is seen performing at the David’s Tent Christian worship space in front of rows of empty seats, with seemingly only two people in attendance.
Another image shows just a small group of visitors inside a large tent examining an automotive exhibit.
open image in gallery An aerial view Saturday shows the third day of the Great American State Fair, with the National Mall appearing sparsely attended ( Getty )
open image in gallery Jason Hershey, founder of David’s Tent, performs for what appears to be just two people Saturday at the Great American State Fair worship space ( AP )
open image in gallery Select attendees look at an automotive exhibit at the Great American State Fair Saturday ( AP )
Despite the photographic evidence of crowd sizes, Trump claimed on Truth Social this week that his Wednesday speech was "packed to the brim" with 45,000 attendees.
NBC News disputed Trump’s attendance estimate, reporting Thursday that the crowd was "nowhere near" that figure.
“Roughly half of those in Wednesday’s crowd of more than 1,000 wore Trump’s slogans or likeness on their clothes. For them, America’s 250th birthday was secondary to an opportunity to see the president,” an NBC News report stated.
open image in gallery On Friday, a Future Farmers of America member brought a cow named Melania to the event as a tribute to the first lady ( Getty )
open image in gallery Visitors to the event, like those pictured here Saturday, will not find traditional fair foods such as corn dogs or funnel cakes at the Great American State Fair ( Reuters )
open image in gallery There are no roller coasters, midway games or carnival rides at Trump’s event, either ( Reuters )
The Washington Post added in its own write-up about Wednesday’s attendees: “The crowd thinly covered an area about the length of the National Museum of American History, smaller than some summer outdoor movie screenings.”
Meanwhile, one of the attractions attracting attention was a cow named Melania, which Future Farmers of America student Piper Stolipher showcased at the event on Friday.
When asked about the unusual name, Stolipher told The Washington Post that she and her classmates came up with it while brainstorming patriotic themes connected to the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebration.
open image in gallery After several artists pulled out of performances at Freedom 2025’s Great American State Fair, Trump stepped in for a rally-style speech ( Getty )
open image in gallery NBC News reported there were ‘nowhere near’ 45,000 attendees at Trump’s opening speech, despite the president’s claim ( AFP/Getty )
“We thought Melania would be a good idea because it’s the first lady’s name, and the hair colors kind of match,” Stolipher, 15, said. “And it just fit.”
Melania - the human, that is - has not been seen at the fair, while the president is scheduled to return to deliver another speech on July 4.
The Independent has contacted Great American State Fair organizers and the White House for comment.
CmdDeadHand on June 28th, 2026 at 02:52 UTC »
Guy has torn down the White House, tarped over Kennedy, built a fence around the reflecting pool and arresting anyone who gets near it. Everything this guy touches turns to shit.
Hi_Im_Dadbot on June 28th, 2026 at 01:36 UTC »
The saddest thing for me was that there were only two people watching Jason Hershey’s performance. I just googled them and found that there are six members in this band.
This means that, at best, only 1/3rd of them could convince their mothers to come out and watch them play.
B-Z_B-S on June 28th, 2026 at 01:20 UTC »
(From the article): "Meanwhile, one of the attractions attracting attention was a cow named Melania, which Future Farmers of America student Piper Stolipher showcased at the event on Friday."
I guess that's the unusual honor. Although, that sounds more like Trump or the rest of MAGA is mocking Melania.
Also, did anyone else find that this article by The Independent tried to download malware into their computer, or is it just me? I also got dragged into a fullscreen video ad, which was annoying.