Pennsylvania joining Great American State Fair after bipartisan effort questions Josh Shapiro’s reasons for skipping

Published June 29, 2026 11:15am ET



Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA) organized a private delegation to represent Pennsylvania at Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair, overruling Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D-PA) claims that no businesses were interested in sponsoring the festivities. 

The bipartisan duo announced over the weekend that they secured private-industry sponsors to host the state’s booth at the giant Washington, D.C., festival at “no cost to taxpayers.” Sponsors said they joined the event because “Pennsylvania’s story is simply too important to be missing from our nation’s capital during America’s 250th birthday celebration,” and will include the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.

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