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Date: 9/20/2018
WEST SPRINGFIELD – My charge at the Big E this year was to find the new and unusual, while at the same time introducing a New England tradition to Jordan Houston, who was brand new to the experience.
I explained the exposition was a combination of annual traditions with attractions that are new. I also explained that you will eat things you don’t normally consume and that any excess calories would be burned off by the miles of walking we would do.
At least that’s my theory.
For instance, I brought my staffers to Bear Country, an exhibit of bears from a wildlife sanctuary that I go to every year. I can never get enough of watching these well-cared-for bears.
And my choice for lunch was a London Broil sandwich I get every year. As is the tradition I manage to slop it over myself as I always get it filled to the max with condiments.
These are traditions.
The Better Living Center provided another tradition and amusement for Jordan and Payton as we walked by various gadget vendors and I reeled off the list of things I’ve bought there from wonder knifes to a salsa maker to an adjustable ladder.
Yes, am I easy prey to the demonstrators? Affirmative. Do most of these things work? Yes. Do I have my eye on an item this year? Yes, a window washing system.
Another tradition: buying cheese at the Vermont Building. My wife and I are fans of Vermont cheddar. My dad was a cheese hunter and every trip we took to Vermont when I was a boy involved finding the sharpest cheese possible and buying a large chunk.
Every year I repeat my father’s actions. I buy the sharpest cheese they have at the Vermont Building and then ration it as if it was the most precious foodstuff on earth. It may as well be!
I also make a point to seek out local vendors at the fair and there were several businesses were at the Massachusetts Building. Koffee Kup Bakery was inside as it has been for several years selling among many items Gov. Charlie Baker’s favorite Boston Cream cupcakes.
Outside the side doors were Pop’s Biscotti from Wilbraham and Maureen Sweet Shoppe from East Longmeadow. Both businesses reported good sales in these key positions at the fair and we made a return visit to buy chocolate at the end of our visit.
Steve D’Amico in the Rhode Island Building was a first-time vendor with his business Broken Gear Wear. D’Amico, a disabled veteran, explained that four years he was having difficulty fitting back into the civilian work world and came up with an idea of breaking down military uniforms into gear bags.
Starting the business in his basement, he and three other vets now create a line of items with a military theme.
To learn more go to htwww.brokengear.us.
The Big E is also about the near inexplicable. Why is Mattress Firm all over the exposition this year? And why are mattresses teamed up with hot tubs at their areas? Is it my imagination or are there more vendors selling this giant barbeques turkey legs? Is the oddest attraction at the Big E the “Big Chair?” People pay $5 to get their photo taken in an over-sized chair with their camera. Talk about keeping the overhead low. Do people really eat the exotic game offered by one sit-down restaurant?
I don’t know the answers but I do know the annual trip to the Big E results in experiencing long time favorites, new tastes and products and old-fashioned bally hoo.
G. Michael Dobbs
I have lived in Massachusetts for about five years now. However, it wasn’t until Sept. 17 I became a “real” Massachusetts resident – the day I took my first trip to The Big E.
I studied at Smith College in Northampton from 2012 to 2016, and for whatever reason – I was a collegiate athlete battling a full course load – I never had the chance to visit the famous fair. Because of this, my trip to The Big E with The Reminder news staff felt like an official initiation ceremony into Massachusetts residency.
To preface, I was going into this endeavor untainted by any prior state fair experiences – I had never been to a state fair before. Because I was a blank slate, I had zero expectations for The Big E. My only knowledge was that the Eastern States Exposition is billed as “New England’s Great State Fair” and is the seventh-largest fair in the nation.
Our first stop on the tour was at the Camel Kingdom. The attraction consisted of a 10-to-15-minute camel demonstration with six camels. Generally, I’m not a huge fan of animal shows or performances – I end up feeling sympathetic toward the animals – but this was a pleasant surprise. While I wouldn’t normally pair camels and New England together, I enjoyed watching the camels prance around the dirt ring in unison and formation. There was no whipping and the camels seemed to enjoy the attention.
The Avenue of States was next on our list. This was by far my most favorite feature of The Big E. The idea is so unique and, in my opinion, New England is the only region that can pull this off. I thought the statehouses were beautifully crafted and a creative way to encourage New England tourism.
While each building boasted impressive qualities and alluring vendors, with their own signature scents and style, I was most drawn to the Vermont state house. Inside, I sampled several cheeses and purchased chocolate-covered bacon and maple malt balls. The state house made me feel nostalgic for a state I’ve never visited.
After touring the states, we took a lap around the perimeter of the fair. In the agricultural section, I observed the acclaimed butter sculpture (which I found odd, yet fascinating) and admired the manicured cows and sheep inside the Mallary Complex. The animals looked extremely pampered – I think it was the first time I ever used the word “cute” to describe a cow. I was surprised at the building’s cleanliness; the smells were not overpowering and I didn’t feel dirty after leaving.
Next, we rode the big yellow slide before settling down for lunch.
On a side note, I frequently train with a personal trainer and recently started a new meal plan. My goal for the day was to try to eat “clean” during my Big E expedition. That plan lasted all of five minutes. I quickly learned that food is a major component of the Big E experience. I caved and indulged in fried Oreos, a giant cinnamon roll and an assortment of chocolate. For lunch, I opted for an original gyro with tzatziki sauce.
The rest of the afternoon remains a bit of a blur. We saw some more animals, including orphaned brown bears, and studied quirky gadgets at the Better Living Center (many of which you don’t realize you need until you see them in person). The Living Center is also a great spot if you are in the market for a new piano, television or massage chair.
At some point, I promised my coworker, Payton North, I would join her for a few Midway rides before we left – despite my debilitating fear of amusement park rides. We rode the Twin Flip and Power Surge, both of which made me regret my earlier food decisions. Nonetheless, we survived.
All in all, I truly enjoyed my first trip to the Big E.
It’s challenging to recap my entire visit in one article – I ate fried food, saw some camels and bears, visited “six different states” and got my palms read all in a span of four hours. It was a day of many firsts, and I can’t wait to continue this tradition for many more years to come.
Jordan Houston
As a Big E veteran, I was excited to attend this year with Mike and Jordan, as Jordan had not attended the famed fair before. I was thrilled to show her one of Western Mass’s gems as well as all of my favorite stops at the annual affair. What I didn’t expect however, was to have a few new experiences of my own.
The Maine Baked Potato
I am ashamed. I am remorseful. I am full of regret.
For years I have poked fun at the famous Maine baked potato: “What makes it so special?” “Why are people waiting in a long line for this potato? It’s literally a potato.” “You can get a baked potato anywhere!”
In fact, as Mike and I were walking into the Maine building with Jordan we explained the culture of the baked potato to her. Both Mike and I were in agreement: this potato was a hoax.
Though I’ve always questioned the appeal of the potato...I had never actually tried the potato. Mike hadn’t either.
After walking around the fair for a while and working up an appetite for carb–loaded goodness, I couldn’t get the potato off my mind. The three of us decided to split up, and like a trooper, Jordan decided to stick out the line for the Maine baked potato so I could finally experience what I’d heard about for years.
I was expecting to write my take on the potato and exclaim: “It’s not worth it!” “It’s all hype!” “It’s just a potato!”
Well folks, it is just a potato.
It’s a potato that was significantly more delicious than expected.
The line for the potato wasn’t too long; it took roughly ten minutes to make it inside the Maine building for purchase. For readers who don’t understand what I’m referring to: there’s a specific outdoor line that leads directly into the indoor portion of the Maine building where the baked potatoes are assembled and sold. That’s right folks–there’s a specific line, all for a potato.
I paid $6 for a potato with all of the fixings offered: butter, sour cream, cheese, chives and bacon bits. I figured if I was going to get it, I may as well do it right.
I promptly told the kind woman behind the counter that I wanted a baked potato with everything, and she began the assembly. She pulled out a bowl and placed in a large baked potato. She proceeded to cut it open and mash the inside of the potato with her gloved hands as well as forks. Then, she took a massive, ice cream scoop sized dollop of butter. In the moment, I thought that the scoop was sour cream. I was wrong. She had added probably hundreds of calories of butter to my potato in the blink of an eye as she mashed the potato and the butter together. But this isn’t about calories–this is about the potato art–form. She continued, taking two large spoonfuls of sour cream and spreading them over the top of the mashed, buttery goodness, and then added a ladle full of melted cheese. Atop the cheese, she sprinkled a generous amount of chives and bacon bits and I was on my way.
I have to say–I was instantly embarrassed. This potato was way better than I expected. How could it not be with the amount of butter that was folded into it?
If I had to make one critique, I will say I was disappointed in the bacon bits. I feel that if this is being touted as the best baked potato ever, it should have real chopped up pieces of bacon–not the artificial bits. Nonetheless, the potato was shockingly delicious.
Muffin the Horse and Bear Country
Each year I notice the large signage and mobile vehicles that supposedly contain “the world’s smallest horse” and the “world's largest pig,” as well as other various animal related exhibits. These exhibits often range from $2 to $3 per person, and I’ve simply never felt the desire to purchase a ticket to see what was inside.
Mike, Jordan and I decided to pay “Muffin the World’s Smallest Horse” a visit. She is a fully grown horse who, if you didn’t know any better, you’d assume was simply a pony. Not Muffin–she is proudly the world’s smallest.
Muffin was white with brown spots and was adorable, though she seemed a little nervous with all of the attention she was garnering.
Next up was the Bear Country. Mike explained to us that he followed this group on Facebook a few years back. They rescue orphaned bears, nurture them back to health and take care of them extremely well. We’re talking well–fed with balanced diets, air conditioned living and the bears are trained. Bear Country offers customers who pay $3 an opportunity to witness three big, fluffy, playful bears in their air conditioned Big E home.
I was surprised by how cute the bears were, and by how close we were able to be to them with only a glass wall separating us from the tame animals. One of the employees of Bear Country was in the bear’s space with them and I was shocked when one of the bears went up to the man, sat down next to him and cuddled. This giant bear rested his head on a man’s shoulder! It was one of the cutest things I had ever witnessed and it was $3 well spent to see how sweet these otherwise thought of as dangerous animals could be.
Payton North