WARREN, Ohio – Patrons of festivals and fairs around the country could be drinking beverages from officially licensed cups celebrating America’s 250th birthday offered by a Warren company.
Berk Enterprises, a supplier of cups, plates, cutlery and other products, sold 50,000 of the 32-ounce cups in their first week of release, said Reilly Berk, president and CEO.
“It’s definitely a big movement for the fair industry, and we’re just excited that we have a cup to go along with it,” she said. People in the fair industry are leaning into the milestone occasion, and existing customers are looking for America-themed paper plates, food trays and other custom souvenir cups.
Berk said she was inspired to seek the America250 license while visiting several fairs in California last year, when she heard rumors that President Donald Trump planned to visit some fairs this year as part of the celebration, which will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
That spurred her to do her own research about the commemoration and to connect with the America250 licensing team about the possibility of making an official souvenir cup to commemorate the occasion.
“There’s nothing more American than the fairs,” she remarked. She described the process for getting the cup design approved as “pretty simple,” with the few changes to the design requested related to wording. The America250 team was “easy to work with.”
Fairs are planning to mark the occasion throughout 2026, Berk said. The Florida State Fair, which runs through Feb. 16, will have several America250 events, and this year’s Idaho State Fair is doing an America250 theme.
The nation’s fairs are “vital for celebrating this significant anniversary in our history,” said David Grindle, president and CEO of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions.
“Companies like this one are creating unique souvenirs commemorating the 250th anniversary that will be etched in people’s memories,” he said. “Many fairs are working to offer items, and attendees throughout the country will have the opportunity to collect various products created by this Ohio family business.”
Chris Hurtubise, director of communications for America 250-Ohio, said he anticipates interest in souvenirs celebrating the anniversary to be strong.
“We hope to engage with Ohio county fairs and festivals throughout 2026,” he said. “We have had productive conversations, and interest has been expressed by festivals when we presented to the Ohio Festival & Events Association.”
A total of 94 county and independent fairs are scheduled to take place in just Ohio this year, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s website. Fairs in Ohio will kick off in June with the Paulding County Fair and conclude with the Loudonville Independent Fair and the Fairfield County Fair in October.
“The Ohio State Fair is planning a robust celebration of America250,” Hurtubise confirmed. America 250-Ohio has several other festivals confirmed as incorporating the anniversary into its programming, including the Jeep Fest in Toledo, Sunflower Festival in Coshocton and Strawberry Festival in Newark, and it is doing its own Transportation Celebration in Dennison.
The Trumbull County Fair is scheduled for July 14-19; the Columbiana County Fair is Aug. 3-9; and Mahoning County’s Canfield Fair – frequently cited as Ohio’s largest county fair and the third largest county fair in the country – will run Sept. 2-7. Also, the Ohio State Fair will run July 29-Aug. 9.
Though the Canfield Fair will take place several weeks after Independence Day, the fairgrounds is planning a fireworks spectacular July 3, said George Roman, a member of the fair’s board of directors. He also predicted that interest will be strong for the souvenir cups.
“The souvenir factor that plays into America250 really lends itself to county fairs, and with the Canfield Fair celebrating its 180th fair this year, there’s even more cause for celebration,” he said.
“People in general, but especially people in the concession industry, love a limited-time offer,” Berk said. “If there’s something that we can capitalize on that’s going on in the world or a large event, people kind of rally around that, and they want to get whatever that exclusive item is before it’s gone.”
She said the cups could also show up at water parks, ballfields and other venues.