Attractions galore at 100th Big EDate: 9/21/2016 WEST SPRINGFIELD – The 100th edition of the Eastern States Exposition is underway and I went through the fair to scope out attractions and offer tips to make your trip to the fair more fun.
Top picks
Big horses: This year’s fair offers audiences two sets of huge horses to gawk at – the Budweiser Clydesdales and the Hallamore Clydesdales. Either team is bound to impress.
Best of the State Buildings:
In New Hampshire, there is now an emphasis on all things mac and cheese – made, naturally, with cheese from that state.
Connecticut has the unlikely, but striking, combination of freshly rolled cigars opposite from a huge display and shop of PEZ dispensers. Connecticut is the home state for the North American headquarters of PEZ.
Watching Victoria Tarnowicz expertly roll cigars at the booth occupied by Connecticut Valley Tobacconist of Enfield, CT, made me want to light up a stogie – something you cannot do in the State Buildings.
Vermont remains the winner in terms of home-grown food products. How can you resist Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, maple products, homemade apple pie, brick oven pizza, bacon, and craft brewed beer?
There is a new product featured this year that might intrigue anyone who would like to grow his or her own food. “Seedsheet” is a Vermont made product in which seeds of herbs or flowers are in capsules that dissolve in water and embedded in a circle of weed-resistant cloth. Placed in a five-gallon pot filled with soil the sheet will germinate and create an instant garden. Seedsheets range in price from $15 for the five-gallon garden to $75 for a 4 by 8 foot raised bed.
In the Maine Building, rustic furniture made in that state from a company called Work of Heart was attracting attention. Dave Marrett, a native of Hampden, but who now lives in Maine said, “When they [visitors] find out it [the furniture line] is made in the USA, they love it.”
It’s the third year for the furniture company displaying at the Big E and Marrett said the response has been “awesome.”
In the Massachusetts Building, Western Massachusetts is well represented by Koffee Kup Bakery of Springfield. With a full array of baked treats, the signature item remains the Boston Cream Cupcake that has been made famous by Gov. Charlie Baker.
On the way to the Better Living Center:
Walking down from the Avenue of States and towards the Coliseum, I encountered a new vendor that made my heart sing – Adventure Knives. I love pocketknives and the company has an outstanding array of them. I resisted the urge to buy.
Not far from that booth is a new food addition to the fair, the Wurst Haus, featuring the food of the legendary Student Prince restaurant from Springfield. Besides the kitchen, there is a beer garden offering the new White Lion beer designed for the fair.
There are some items regular diners at the restaurant will recognize – Hungarian goulash and friend Camembert cheese – and one that will undoubted impress: The German Giant, an 18-inch bratwurst served on a bun with sauerkraut. You can also buy a 9-inch version.
At the Court of Honor Stage, North Shore Acappella was performing. The group specializes in songs from the 1940s and on was featured in 2011 on the NBC show “The Sing Off.” They will be performing at 11 a.m., 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 through 23.
In the Farmarama Building, the reason for the creation of the Big E 100 years ago – a celebration of agriculture – takes center stage. The chick-hatching exhibit has returned this year and a fun and informative exhibit on local agriculture “Farm to Family Table” explains the role farming plays in the region.
Don’t miss an annual Big E feature – the giant pumpkin contest. This year’s winner was grown by Emma Goetze-Phillips of Pittsfield and weighs in at 1,027 pounds.
In the Young Building, there is a nostalgic and informative history of the fair with great photographs and artifacts. I especially liked the reproductions of newspaper ads from the 1950s when one of my childhood heroes, Roy Rogers, performed at the fair.
In the Mallory Building, championship livestock is one exhibit as they wait their turn to be judged. I caught the sheep shearing demonstration featuring Andrew Rice from Halifax, VT, and it was a very informative show as Rice now only knows what he is doing, he is a performer as well.
For me, exposing young people to how their food is raised and from where it comes is one of the most vital missions of the Big E.
In the Better Living Center, a locally conceived product was attracting attention. Lo Bac Trax, developed by Dr. Roland Berthiaume, was being demonstrated and sold for the first time in the center after its very successful campaign on QVC.
Tammy Berthiaume, wife of the inventor and a message therapist, said she was surprised how many people at the fair were willing to try the simple device that addresses low back pain. She also was heartened by how many people have told her they bought it and use it regularly.
When to go?
When is the best time to go to the Big E? Well, I do prefer a rainy day as many people do stay away; since I’m not into carnival rides that suits me just fine. My wife and I do take advantage of the “Six after Five” offer when admission is only $6 after 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Seniors, age 60 or over, get a $3 discount, Monday through Thursday from the regular cost of $15.
Coming attractions
Performers who are scheduled for the rest of the run of the fair include Maren Morris on Sept. 25, Stephen Bishop from Sept. 26 through 29, Elle King on Sept. 24 and George Thorogood and the Destroyers on Oct. 1.
For more information, go to www.thebig.com.
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