Wow. There's a part of me that feels sad, because any empty event is a weird empty liminal space. There's a much larger part of me that says who did you make this for and maybe that's why.
Pride parades have been hugely attended. Interesting what happens when everyone feels welcome and accepted.
Then also, I had never heard about this until after it started. Where was the marketing team for this? Heard more about the redneck brawl-ma-geddon bs than I heard about this.
Honestly, good. Wouldn't want the Smithsonian putting on an actually good event during this shitshow of an administration. What you see here is far more representative of the state the country is currently in.
He transferred the amounts which had been set aside for the other event to this one. Except clearly this event didn't cost the $126million which was earmarked for this. So he pocketed at least $100million of those taxpayer funds for himself.
One thing people aren't talking about is the insane security perimeter they have which bans basically everything other than a cell phone. No backpacks, cameras, laptops, "pointy umbrellas," hard water bottles, etc. Its made it basically impossible for a normal tourist to bring in normal tourist kit. And obviously no locals want anything to do with this.
No other event in DC does this. Street fairs, events on the mall, parades - none of them have this kind of security. It's very clearly a bunch of oddly paranoid fascists buying their own conspiracies about Antifa vandals or whatever.
Seriously, I've never seen smaller crowds than this for something in DC. Like, when I lived there the number of people just loitering on the mall on a random Tuesday was bigger than what I've seen from this event.
That’s what I thought. Means people are actively avoiding it. I’m sure the heat is deterring people but the Mall is usually very crowded this time of year.
Yes, they are saying that. I used to live in DC and summer is when I would avoid the National Mall because of all the tourists. It's also brutal humid. But lousy with tourists in summer.
This is wildly embarrassing for the ones working and those that set it up. I wouldn't go to THIS one, but if I heard about a giant state fair with no one in it, I'd be like, "fuck yeah that sounds awesome!"
Setting up local celebrations across the country is apparently what America250 is about, but Trump wanted to do his own thing and so he played up the "Freedom250" events that he largely controls as the official celebration instead.
Fun fact about the Freedom250 fair: states are not reimbursed in any way for their participation, which as you can imagine is very expensive, so many of them simply decided not to show up because it was not worth it.
47 Comments
scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech · 79 pts · 44d
Wow. There's a part of me that feels sad, because any empty event is a weird empty liminal space. There's a much larger part of me that says who did you make this for and maybe that's why.
Pride parades have been hugely attended. Interesting what happens when everyone feels welcome and accepted.
Then also, I had never heard about this until after it started. Where was the marketing team for this? Heard more about the redneck brawl-ma-geddon bs than I heard about this.
Melobol@lemmy.ml · 87 pts · 44d
There was a fair planned with bipatrisan support by Smithsonian. Trump pulled it and gave money to his friends and you got this.
wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz · 19 pts · 44d
Honestly, good. Wouldn't want the Smithsonian putting on an actually good event during this shitshow of an administration. What you see here is far more representative of the state the country is currently in.
Happy 250th, ya filthy animal!
scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech · 18 pts · 44d
yeah that tracks with exactly how it ended up
Rothe@piefed.social · 11 pts · 43d
He transferred the amounts which had been set aside for the other event to this one. Except clearly this event didn't cost the $126million which was earmarked for this. So he pocketed at least $100million of those taxpayer funds for himself.
Melobol@lemmy.ml · 56 pts · 44d
I have seen pumpkin patches having bigger turnout than this single ride State Fair.
disregardable@lemmy.zip · 21 pts · 44d
yeah people love pumpkin patches. who doesn't want to pick a pumpkin?
socsa@piefed.social · 48 pts · 44d
One thing people aren't talking about is the insane security perimeter they have which bans basically everything other than a cell phone. No backpacks, cameras, laptops, "pointy umbrellas," hard water bottles, etc. Its made it basically impossible for a normal tourist to bring in normal tourist kit. And obviously no locals want anything to do with this.
No other event in DC does this. Street fairs, events on the mall, parades - none of them have this kind of security. It's very clearly a bunch of oddly paranoid fascists buying their own conspiracies about Antifa vandals or whatever.
FrChazzz@lemmus.org · 38 pts · 43d
Crowds like I've never seen!
Seriously, I've never seen smaller crowds than this for something in DC. Like, when I lived there the number of people just loitering on the mall on a random Tuesday was bigger than what I've seen from this event.
Jerb322@lemmy.world · 30 pts · 44d
Good times, had by a dozen people.
DrakeAlbrecht@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 44d
It's DashCon all over again.
socsa@piefed.social · 9 pts · 44d
Freedom 250 doesn't even have a ball pit!
daychilde@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 44d
Not even good times from all accounts. The whole thing is utterly and completely lame.
hOrni@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 43d
jontree255@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 44d
Do you have to pay to go to this or can anyone just walk up? Because that’s fucking nobody for being on the national mall.
kgbbot@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 35 pts · 44d
We're all fucking paying for this pathetic asshole to do this
atzanteol@sh.itjust.works · 19 pts · 44d
You need to go through a TSA style security check, including "clear plastic bags", but it's free...
jontree255@lemmy.world · 25 pts · 44d
That’s what I thought. Means people are actively avoiding it. I’m sure the heat is deterring people but the Mall is usually very crowded this time of year.
Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works · 10 pts · 44d
Are you saying there is less people than there would normally be?
FrChazzz@lemmus.org · 16 pts · 43d
Yes, they are saying that. I used to live in DC and summer is when I would avoid the National Mall because of all the tourists. It's also brutal humid. But lousy with tourists in summer.
kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 44d
What else do you think they are saying? Seems pretty straightforward to me.
logi@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 43d
That does seem to be what they're saying they think they're saying. Straight and forward.
Jhex@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 44d
slowmolaggins@thelemmy.club · 17 pts · 44d
This is wildly embarrassing for the ones working and those that set it up. I wouldn't go to THIS one, but if I heard about a giant state fair with no one in it, I'd be like, "fuck yeah that sounds awesome!"
totally_human_emdash_user@piefed.blahaj.zone · 17 pts · 44d
Setting up local celebrations across the country is apparently what America250 is about, but Trump wanted to do his own thing and so he played up the "Freedom250" events that he largely controls as the official celebration instead.
Fun fact about the Freedom250 fair: states are not reimbursed in any way for their participation, which as you can imagine is very expensive, so many of them simply decided not to show up because it was not worth it.
DarkFuture@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 44d
Turns out not many people want to be associated with felons, rapists, or pedophiles in any way, shape, or form.
o0evillusion0o@sh.itjust.works · 15 pts · 44d
Was there a TRUMP-EPSTEIN FILES (TM) kiosque?
logi@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 43d
That etymology is pretty cool. And chiosco is my new (or reminded) Italian word for the day.
Themosthighstrange@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 44d
Never heard one bit about this fair prior on tv or the.internet till i started seeing pics of a empty fair on lemmy
Luisp@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 9 pts · 43d
Windows wallpaper
LovableSidekick@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 44d
Gonna be a lotta leftover corndogs.
black0ut@pawb.social · 5 pts · 44d
I've read somewhere there weren't any corndogs
LovableSidekick@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 44d
[sigh] Great American? No corndogs? Even the name is a lie.
Zorque@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 44d
No wonder it's so empty...
HubertManne@piefed.social · 8 pts · 44d
its funny how we are the backwards country bumkin nation again.
Aetherial@nord.pub · 1 pts · 37d
You're wildly and arrogantly assuming you never were. Lol fucking Yanks.
HubertManne@piefed.social · 1 pts · 37d
yeah. we's dumb. like we would see the word again and not think it could imply a way of being in the past.
aramis87@fedia.io · 6 pts · 44d
You should head over to Arts & Industries for the Folklife Festival!
samus12345@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 43d
achsonaja@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 44d
Is the PR flag Puerto Rico?
Etterra@discuss.online · 4 pts · 43d
It seems less like a state fair and more like a state poor.
SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 44d
To be fair, Wednesdays aren't typically going to see the biggest turnouts.
Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 44d
Especially with a heat index well over 100
Bbbbbbbbbbb@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 44d
To be unfair, fuck em
ayyy@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 44d
A country with over 350 million people and they can’t find a few hundred people to take the day off. Lmao.
totally_human_emdash_user@piefed.blahaj.zone · 5 pts · 44d
I think that you greatly overestimate the number of days the average American has to take off.
resipsaloquitur@lemmy.cafe · 3 pts · 43d
Did they make DC a state?
OldChicoAle@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 43d
They'd never have majority again if they did. But then again it's all the same team