At the Great American State Fair, you can find a dinosaur's rib cage. Unity is another matter

By — Gary Fields, Associated Press Gary Fields, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/at-the-great-american-state-fair-you-can-find-a-dinosaurs-rib-cage-unity-is-another-matter Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter At the Great American State Fair, you can find a dinosaur's rib cage. Unity is another matter Nation Jun 27, 2026 12:50 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — A dinosaur rib cage. A 7,000-pound sandcastle made with Jersey Shore sand. Two rocking chairs in an unstaffed booth as well as a number of empty spaces. This is the Great American State Fair. The fair kicked off this week and is a run by Freedom 250, an organization created by President Donald Trump to run his administration's official events. Its creation caused tension with America250, a congressionally created group that was designed to plan the nation's 250th anniversary. The event on the National Mall will run into July. READ MORE: How Americans are marking the country's big 2-5-0 Crowds came in small numbers early Friday, spending little time at security. The entryway led straight to a 110-foot tall Ferris wheel, the lone ride at the fair, and a smaller arch, similar to the ones that the Republican president has used to adorn other events. The consensus among people who were interviewed was that the fair was a great idea — and perhaps an opportunity missed. A fair for America that highlights divisions for some Familiar to anyone who has ever attended a fair were the goats, sheep and a calf whose mooing could be heard across the Mall, all courtesy of the Washington High School Future Farmers of America from Jefferson County, West Virginia. Baby chicks, resplendent in all of their downy softness, were a huge draw, and there was the promise of a cowboy performance with bucking broncos to highlight the rise of the American cowboy. Visitors dig for mock dinosaur fossils under a replica of a sauropod dinosaur skeleton at the Montana state exhibit during the opening of The Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington D.C., on June 25, 2026. Photo by Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters Visitors were united by their enthusiasm for states to come together and show off their unique characters, famous natives, industries and history and geographical diversity. They were also drawn by a desire for a nonpartisan celebration of American unity. "There's nice people, nice events, nice family events," said Sharyn Bovat, who said she lived in Florida but has remained in the Washington area since having a heart attack this year. "Half the country is divided with the other half. I wish they would create a USA 250 for all the people. I'm tired of the politics." READ MORE: 3 things I've learned talking with Americans about the country's 250th birthday She said the arch was the main thing that gave the event a political overtone. "It makes me think of Germany," she said. The fair booths, all inside structures th