America 250? New England Says No Thanks; New Hampshire Says 'Live Free Or Die'

By Leonard Robinson, NH Journal

As America marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, New Hampshire is standing alone in New England at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.

The 16-day America 250 celebration opened on the National Mall on June 25 and runs through July 10. Organizers describe it as a World’s Fair-style showcase of states, territories, civic groups, businesses, and American culture.

But while the Granite State is showing up, its New England neighbors are sitting it out.

Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island all declined to send official state agency representatives to the event, leaving New Hampshire the only New England state to take part. And they are not alone. Other states opting out include Illinois, Oregon, Washington, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.

The list has drawn attention for its political tilt. With the exceptions of North Carolina and Pennsylvania, the states sitting out are overwhelmingly blue — including deep-blue Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

That partisan pattern comes as polling shows a growing divide over patriotism and national pride. A 2025 Gallup poll found just 36 percent of Democrats said they were “extremely” or “very” proud to be American, compared with 92 percent of Republicans. The same poll found national pride at a record low.

State officials who declined to participate have generally cited cost, staffing, lack of sponsor interest, and concerns that the event has become too closely tied to President Donald Trump. But for New Hampshire officials, the 250th anniversary of American independence is bigger than any one politician.

Gov. Kelly Ayotte said New Hampshire is leaning in.

“Even before the Boston Tea Party, New Hampshire colonists rebelled against British rule with the Pine Tree Riot, and our state’s ratification of the Constitution secured the future of the United States,” Ayotte told NHJournal. “New Hampshire is proud to take part in celebrations in our nation’s capital and to showcase the history, beauty, and entrepreneurial spirit of our wonderful state.”

New Hampshire has plenty to showcase.

The state’s booth features literature on New Hampshire’s signers of the Declaration of Independence, the state’s Revolutionary War history, and the First-in-the-Nation presidential primary.

Playing on a loop is a video produced by the Secretary of State’s Office and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources featuring a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence by notable Granite Staters. The video includes appearances by Ayotte, U.S. Senate candidates John E. Sununu and Scott Brown, the entire New Hampshire congressional delegation, every living governor, State House leaders from both parties, and filmmaker Ken Burns.

And to sweeten the state’s offering, the Executive Council approved a donation of maple syrup giveaways from the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association.

Take that, Vermont.

Secretary of State David Scanlan said the decision to participate was easy. The chance to highlight New Hampshire’s role in the nation’s founding — and its continuing role in presidential politics — was too important to pass up.

“We’re going to Washington, D.C., to showcase New Hampshire and just share with the rest of the country in celebrating 250 years as a free nation,” Scanlan said.

Scanlan also rejected the argument that the event should be avoided because of national politics.

“The reason not to participate is political and based on personalities,” Scanlan said.

For a state whose motto is “Live Free or Die,” Scanlan said showing up for America’s semiquincentennial is not a partisan statement.

It is a New Hampshire statement.

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.