Where was the planned Great American State Fair for the United States Semiquincentennial to be held?

The planned Great American State Fair for the United States Semiquincentennial was to be held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

The fair was listed among the planned festivities for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The Iowa State Fairgrounds, located in Des Moines, provided a large established venue suited to a national-scale event combining exhibitions, entertainment, and civic commemoration.

The event was part of a wider anniversary program rather than a replacement for the annual Iowa State Fair. Other planned America250 activities included commemorative coinage, OpSail 2026, and special events connected with the national celebration.

The choice of Iowa also distinguished this planned fair from earlier anniversary expositions held in Philadelphia. The 1876 Centennial Exposition and the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition were both centered in Philadelphia, while the 2026 program distributed major activities across different parts of the United States.