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Date: 2/16/2021
WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Big E and the New England 4-H community have begun planning for upcoming programs and events for the 2021 season.
4-H “empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults,” according to The Big E website. 4-H clubs are scattered across the country, but are especially apparent here in the northeast, where many fairs are located.
Specifically for The Big E, 4-H youth – which consist of a couple thousand people ranging from 12 to 18 years old – would work on projects to bring to The Big E fair. In a past year, members participated in programs with dairy, beef cattle, dairy goats, sheep, dogs and horses. Many of these members had the opportunity to show off specific projects they have been working on throughout the course, and prior, to The Big E festival.
According to Donna Woolam, director of agriculture and education at The Big E, the development of these programs and events for 2021 are contingent on whether or not the Big E can open in September.
“What we’re looking at is having some of the competitions held the last week of July, instead of during the fair,” said Woolam, with regard to how The Big E wants to approach the 4-H programs and events in 2021. “That has yet to be determined what that will really look like.”
The goal of these events is to explore innovative programming, and support the youth when it comes to career opportunities and workforce development. Woolam said that The Big E hopes to spearhead all of their livestock and horse competitions, as well as some of their interactive exhibits during the fair.
“Our goal here is definitely to give [4-H members] a worthwhile experience,” said Woolam, who believes that all of the pre-fair programs, as well as 4-H events during the fair, can be operated smoothly by the time they roll around. For now though, The Big E still needs to calculate certain steps for planning.
“All of the planning that will take place, will take place under current guidelines,” said Woolam. “As the guidelines change, our planning would change accordingly.”
More information about New England 4-H programs and events at The Big E will be available as plans continue to develop.