The states that declined to attend the Great American State Fair were Oregon, Washington, North Carolina, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Illinois. Some reports also noted that Pennsylvania was still undecided rather than fully declined, and Maryland ultimately said it was participating.

What the reporting says

Coverage from multiple outlets converged on the same main list, though some early reports varied slightly as participation changed in the days before the event.

  • Oregon.
  • Washington.
  • North Carolina.
  • Maine.
  • Massachusetts.
  • Connecticut.
  • Illinois.

Why they skipped

The most common reason cited was cost , with several states saying the expenses of staffing, shipping, and exhibit setup were too high.

Another factor was concern that the fair had become more politically charged than originally presented.

TL;DR

At least seven states said no: Oregon, Washington, North Carolina, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Illinois.