The Big E
Nothing says Fall in New England quite like The Big E in West Springfield! Begun more than 90 years ago, the Eastern States Exposition was intended to provide a way to develop and showcase the declining farming culture of the region; today, it does that and more. Over the course of 17 days each September, “more than one million people attend the … autumn extravaganza of entertainment, exhibits, and agriculture” (see their <a href=”http://www.thebige.com/ese/aboutus/History.asp”>website</a> for the full history). Some have been going for generations and some are inevitably first-timers but, somehow, everyone in attendance is having the best day ever – probably because there really is something for everyone! There’s a huge carnival set up on the grounds with lots of rides and games for kids <em>and</em> adults – but, to get to it, you have to make your way through all the concessions. You want fried food? You can get just about anything you want in fried form at the Big E: dough, pickles, butter and Kool-Aid (yes, you read that right). There’s a lot more than just food & rides, though. The New England states are all represented, too, with the best they have to offer (from Vermont maple syrup to the Maine baked potato). On the agricultural side of it, you can see cows, llamas, sheep, goats, piglets, chicks, alpacas, horses, and – if you can believe it – more. There are giant pumpkins, pepper flowers (what?!), mums…the list goes on and on. Needless to say, it’s easy to lose track of time and literally spend an entire day roaming around! The fair is running through September 30th, so you still have time to make it out there. Check out <a href=”http://www.thebige.com/fair/”>TheBigE.com</a> for all the info you need… and just GO!