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Date: 10/4/2023
WEST SPRINGFIELD — The second Wednesday of the Big E’s 17-day run is Salute to Agawam day. This year, it was Sept. 27, and it was a showstopper.
A daily attendance record was set, with 95,689 visitors turning out for a perfect day at the fair— bright, sunny and seasonably warm. Agawam residents, traveling from just over the river, were undoubtedly part of the attendance surge.
Among them: Beth and Chris Davis. They said coming to the fair on this special day for the town has been a tradition for them ever since their kids were very young.
“When we came with our kids, we would bump into friends with their kids. It was always fun and the kids were excited about being at the fair,” said Chris Daniels.
Now that the couple’s children are grown, it’s a day to come to the fair by themselves and perhaps run into friends from town.
“What’s nice about Agawam’s day is that it’s a weekday, so it’s usually not very crowded,” said Daniels.
Recently retired from a 33-year career as a full-time Air Force reservist at Westover Air Reserve Base, Daniels said opening day is their other main time to visit. It’s Military Appreciation Day, with all veterans getting free admission.
For Beth Daniels, an Agawam native, the Big E has been something she’s looked forward to ever since she was a child.
“I liked the helicopter rides and going on all the rides on the midway,” she said.
Once part of the color guard for the high school’s band, she always watches the evening parade when the Agawam High School band marches.
“It brings back of lot of memories. I enjoyed being part of the band. It was special marching in the parade – I felt like I was representing the town,” she said.
One must-see for the couple every year is a visit to the old meeting house, the large white church in Storrowton Village. They were married there and stop to reminisce about their wedding day.
They also enjoy going to the state buildings and sampling food from each state. But they each have their own favorite foods at the fair. She likes fried dough from any eatery, and he likes chili from the Firehouse Restaurant run by West Springfield firefighters.
For the Fox family of Agawam — Kelli, Marc and 6-year-old Frankie —the fair is not only a tradition, but also an activity they always do together.
One of their first stops is to sit down for a chicken dinner at the Agawam Lions Club.
“I love the food here. We always eat here — they have the best chicken,” said Marc Fox.
Daughter Frankie looks forward to seeing the circus and going down the giant yellow slide.
“It’s so big and so cool to slide down it,” said the Phelps School student.
Kelli Fox, who grew up on a farm, said coming to the fair is also an opportunity to visit some of the agriculture exhibits — including seeing the giant pumpkin and watching baby chicks hatch.
She said it’s good that the Big E has a “Salute to Agawam” each year.
“It’s nice to be recognized. We’re so close, so we deserve our own day,” she said. “It’s also so cool to have a night where you can walk around the fair and see so many people from town.”
Jonathan Cunningham opened Joey’s Deli & Market in Feeding Hills three years ago. This year, he decided to join eateries from around the state selling food in the Massachusetts Building.
“I consider it a success already,” he said as he waited on customers. “People are loving our food and our staff.” All staff wear shirts emblazoned with the words, “I’m not Joey.” Cunningham said he named the business after his wife Joanna, whom he calls Joey.
While business has been good and many regular customers have stopped to buy sandwiches to say hello, the Agawam resident — who was at his business every day of the fair from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. — said his primary reason for coming wasn’t to make money.
“It’s about the exposure I’m getting — especially from people who live in Agawam. Many said they didn’t know about us until they saw our booth at the fair.”
Darlene Vignato is among his Big E staff.
“I’ve been very busy working here and it’s been great. But when I get breaks, I like to walk around the fairgrounds,” said the Agawam resident. “I like to visit the Farm-a-Rama, look at the Young Building and check out the craft vendors.”
She said she has always loved coming to the Big E: “I come every year — if I wasn’t working, I would have come for Agawam’s special day — it’s one of my favorite days at the fair.”
Agawam Mayor William Sapelli, in his final appearance at the Big E as a town official, joined Agawam’s city councilors and School Committee members aboard a special red trolley during the Big E’s evening parade. The Agawam High School Marching Mohawks also represented the town in the parade, along with a few other Agawam residents who rode in the parade.