Great American State Fair kicks off 16-day celebration in Washington

WASHINGTON – The Great American State Fair kicked off Wednesday, June 24 on the National Mall with military flyovers, patriotic performances and a speech from President Donald Trump, but without most of the star-studded lineup originally promised.

The 16-day event, part of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration and backed by Freedom 250, was initially billed as a major music festival. By opening night, however, most headline acts had dropped out, leaving a scaled-back program that leaned heavily on political messaging and patriotic displays.

The fair was initially promoted with a lineup including Martina McBride, C+C Music Factory, Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, Young MC, The Commodores, Morris Day and The Time, Flo Rida and Bret Michaels. By the kickoff, nearly all had dropped out, leaving Vanilla Ice and Flo Rida as the remaining scheduled performers.

Opening night instead featured country singer Lee Greenwood performing “God Bless the USA,” opera singer Christopher Macchio, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.” Alexis Wilkins, the girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel, sang the national anthem.

Here are some highlights from the kickoff:

Trump's speech

Trump took the stage around 8:30 p.m. ET to welcome attendees, delivering remarks about major issues facing the country – and some of his construction projects in the nation's capital.

He asserted gas prices could fall to $2.50 a gallon as peace negotiations with Iranian officials continue and the Iran war winds down. But he also suggested the possibility of further action in the region.

“I guess we have other things in store,” Trump said. “But we don’t want to get carried away.”

He also said without evidence that ongoing issues at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool were caused by “vandals.” Construction at the site is battling algae blooms and peeling paint. Trump said the landmark would soon "be looking as beautiful as it looked two weeks ago."

People from around the country attended

Attendees gathered near the Washington Monument, with some traveling from across the country to attend the event.

Lissa and Rex Kelley of Phoenix told USA TODAY they planned their trip to Washington around the fair. Leslie Simek of Windsor, New York, described the gathering as a “beautiful thing” bringing people together to celebrate U.S. history.

Military flyovers

The event included multiple military flyovers, featuring aircraft such as the F-16 Viper Demo Team, B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and F-35A Lightning II.

Additional flyovers are scheduled for Thursday, June 25, according to Freedom 250, including the B-52 Stratofortress, F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35C Lightning II.

No alcohol at kickoff

Alcohol was not initially sold but is expected to be available for the duration of the festival beginning Thursday, June 25, through July 10. Beer, including Michelob Ultra, Kona Big Wave, Bud Light and Budweiser, was visible behind the counters at concession stands.

Freedom 250 said in a statement that “alcohol and beverage availability vary by Freedom 250 event and venues,” but did not explain why alcohol was unavailable during the kickoff.

USA TODAY has reached out to Washington's Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration to confirm when liquor licenses take effect.

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected].