WEST SPRINGFIELD — Break open your piggy bank for hard cash and bring your credit cards with you, too, so you can shop and eat your way nonstop through The Big E — now the fourth-largest fair in North America.
This year’s Big E begins Friday, Sept. 12, and runs for 17 days through Sept. 28.
“Our recognition as the fourth largest fair is based on attendance, and our numbers were through the roof after a record-setting year in 2024 that saw 1,633,935 fairgoers from far and near walking through our gates,” said Eugene Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition, about the recognition from Carnival Warehouse, which each year ranks the Top 50 Fairs in North America.
Cassidy noted that since its founding in 1917, the fair has kept up with the times while remaining true to its folksy roots.
“The Big E today offers contemporary products, contemporary entertainment and contemporary education programs especially through our Agriculture Department. But as much as we need to be current, we also need to support traditions of the American way of life, and that is what we celebrate most — people’s desire to be in each other’s company,” he said
‘Entertainment capital’
For the next two weeks, The Big E will serve as “the entertainment capital of New England.”
The paid entertainment — which includes admission to the fair — begins on Friday at The Big E Arena with Southern rock jam band Gov’t Mule with JJ Grey and Mofro, followed on Saturday by rappers Busta Rhymes and Rick Ross. Sunday’s stage will feature country artist Cole Swindell with Josh Morgan.
Other big names at The Big E Arena through the end of the fair include TLC with Big Boi, Sept 19; The Avett Brothers, Sept 20; Foreigner, Sept. 21; Five for Fighting, Sept. 21; The Kid LAROI, Sept 26; Train, Sept. 27; ending with ZZ TOP’s rock, blues and boogie closing out the fair on Sept. 28.
“I’m sweating it out until the last night of the fair when my personal favorite ZZ TOP performs. They have cancelled on us three times in the past, so we are doing everything we can to make sure they get here,” said John Juliano, partner at Mellowship Entertainment, entertainment contractor for The Big E.
The free Court of Honor Stage comes alive for opening weekend on Friday with comedian Jonathan Burns, Sept. 12-17; musician Tonic, Sept. 12; dancers The Step Crew, Sept 12-14; comedian David Nihill, Sept. 13; and the band Augustana, Sept. 14.
Other Court of Honor Stage acts, 26 in all, will see the return from last year of legendary twister Chubby Checker, as well as some blasts from the past such as Gary Puckett & The Union Gap; The Stylistics; The Grass Roots; Firefall, a new version of Seals & Crofts comprised of Brady Seals, cousin to James “Jim” Seals, and Lua Crofts, daughter of Darrell “Dash” Crofts; and many more, including The Shanghai Circus and the next best thing to seeing The Beach Boys live — longtime member Al Jardine and his Pet Sounds Band.
With the goal of introducing new up-and-coming talent to fairgoers, The E Stage was developed several years ago to showcase emerging and regional artists dedicated to creating original music. Fairgoers can discover the fresh sounds of new talent on weekdays at 3 and 7 p.m. and weekends at 2:30, 4:30 and 7 p.m.
Now in its third year at The Big E, Dolly’s Honky Tonk brings a taste of Nashville to the fair, thanks to an idea that began with Juliano and his business partner Anne-Alise Pietruska at Mellowship.
Running through the heart of downtown Nashville, Broadway Street — also known as Honky Tonk Highway — is home to some of Nashville’s best music, honky-tonks, bars and restaurants.
“We visit Nashville a couple times a year and walk up and down Broadway. We began talking about how it would be cool to bring that honky-tonk vibe to The Big E and how to do it. When a space opened on the fairgrounds, we followed through with the idea and created Dolly’s Honky Tonk,” Juliano said.
The result is a place where fairgoers can immerse themselves in the Nashville honky-tonk scene with performances by trick ropers, live music by country bands and other genres, plus line dancing, a thrilling mechanical bull ride and the Boot Scootin’ Saloon.
“The mechanical bull rides never stop from morning until nighttime,” Juliano said.
New eats await fairgoers
It is a real mouthful to attempt to describe all the taste-tempting treats found all throughout the fairgrounds.
“We have some 90 new food items to try,” Cassidy said, noting he is partial to his favorite cheese curds and the Big E Cream Puffs.
A look at a few of the new food vendors and their menus include The Broccoli Bar with its broccoli dumplings and tempura; Crave Café’s Strawberry Dubai Cup and sweet crepes; Steaming Tender with whiskey bread pudding; Java Hut with everything from coffee to freshly squeezed lemonade and refreshers; and Hot Wisconsin Cheese with monster mozzarella, cheddar nuggets and cheese curds.
Amy’s Sweet Treats, a returning vendor, is this year offering a pickle sundae and pickle shake served with a pickle on top – all part of the current pickle craze sweeping the country. There is even pickle pizza on the fairgrounds.
If you plan on eating a smorgasbord throughout the fair, you won’t have to dish out as much on West Springfield Day on Sept. 15, when participating vendors will offer special menu items for $3. The Big E’s website offers a complete list of bargain eats to choose from, and you can also look for the Bargain Bites signage on the fairgrounds.
A new Spirited Christmas Bar is opening this year in the Young Building, which is also home to the Big E Bakery and its Big E Cream Puff. Inspired by Poland’s world-famous holiday markets, the V-One Spirited Christmas Bar brings festive lights, flavors, and traditions to The Big E. Enjoy a lineup of Christmas-themed cocktails crafted with V-One Vodka — an ultra-premium spirit made from 100% organic spelt grain in Kamień, Poland.
There is also no shortage of beer gardens lining the fairgrounds.
Some traditions still hold strong
Several mainstays from the early days of the fair can still be visited today, including the Storrowton Village Museum, the Better Living Center and the Avenue of States.
In the 1920s, the late Helen O. Storrow oversaw the relocation of nine authentic 18th and 19th century buildings from Massachusetts and New Hampshire to the fairgrounds, creating what then became Storrowton Village Museum. A nice place to sit and rest from the sights and sounds of a modern-day fair, Storrowton offers visitors a trip through the past by exploring the early New England village on a self-guided tour. Each building features exhibits that bring New England history to life, including open-hearth cooking, blacksmithing and more.
Storrowton Village also offers visitors a shopping opportunity throughout its Craft Common and Christmas Shop, as well as entertainment in the Gazebo with Kilted Colin, Black Rose Academy of Irish Dance, hypnotist Tommy Vee, and Fritz Brothers “One Man” Circus, depending on the day.
The Better Living Center dates back to 1924, when it was first opened on the fairgrounds as the Industrial Arts Building. Today, the 123,000 square-foot building, often referred to as a “consumer paradise,” contains just about every kind of household products, luxury items, and services imaginable to check out and purchase.
In the shadow of World War I, the late Joshua L. Brooks, founder of the Eastern States Exposition, made it his personal project to convince the six New England states to erect individual buildings at the fair so that it would truly be a regional show. They did, and the Avenue of States today is a must-visit for many fairgoers, but what many people don’t realize is that each state owns its respective building on the Avenue of States.
The shopping continues in the Young Building, where visitors will find Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula Showcase, highlighting some of Ireland’s finest handcrafted products, and cultural and educational connections of County Kerry and West Springfield. The Big E will even turn green for Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day on opening weekend, Sept. 12-14, when fairgoers can wear their green clothes and tartans and enjoy Irish music, dancing, food and more.
For parade lovers, The Big Parade is a fair tradition daily at 6 p.m. with high school marching bands, specialty floats, antique vehicles, performance groups, the magnificent HKS Clydesdales, and the chance to catch a few beads thrown from the authentic Mardi Gras floats.
Specialty shows this year
Cars and bikes have their own shows in The Big E Arena this year, and both are free.
Collector Car Live — the ultimate showcase for classic, custom and collector vehicles — returns on Sept 18 from 1-5 p.m. with NASCAR star Ryan Preece alongside hosts Wayne Carini, Mike Joy and Steve Magnante.
Bikers have their turn in The Big E Arena on Sept. 25 for the fair’s inaugural Bike Night. The event runs from 4-8 p.m. with a special performance by local band Trailer Trash at 6 p.m. Bike Night plans to fill the venue with hundreds of bikes from owners who signed up to show their wheels. Trophies will be awarded in several categories, including Best in Show, Best Paint and People’s Choice.
And there is still more to do and see, including The Big E Circus Spectacular, returning with an international cast; Eastern States Exposition Horse Show; Eastern States Farmers Market and Wine Barn; Swifty Swine Racing Pigs; Barnyard Petting Zoo; Eastern States Exposition History Museum; Farm-A-Rama; and the North American Midway where, in Majorland, you can defy gravity on 1001 Nachts, race through the lights and music aboard the Himalaya, fly through the air on the Cliffhanger, take a full-loop ride on the Ring of Fire, view the fairgrounds from the highest heights on the Sky-High Super Wheel and test your skills at games for a shot at oversized prizes.
And don’t forget to take a ride down The Big E’s Giant Slide.
Cassidy said that what truly sets The Big E apart from other fairs in the country is its focus and dedication to agriculture dating back to its founding. Still today, The Big E is the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard with livestock shows galore with beef cattle, dairy cattle, dairy goat, sheep, swine, pulling competitions and more.
“We take great pride on the impact our fair’s agricultural programs have had on agriculture in the United States, it is very consequential. We have animals and competitors from 27 states in the country, making us an important agricultural draw and competition for farmers,” he said.
Tickets at the gate are $20 for adults, $12 for children 6-12 , and free for children 5 and under. Sunday through Thursday is “Eleven-After-Five,” with tickets priced at $11 after 5 p.m. Senior Days are also offered Sunday through Thursday, with tickets at $16 for those 60 and older. A full-season pass is $71.50 for adults and $36.50 for children 6-12.
Opening day is Military Appreciation Day, where Big E admission is free for active-duty military personnel and dependents and retired military personnel and veterans. ID is required for free admission.
Gates open daily at 8 a.m. with most buildings opening at 10 a.m. For more information, visit thebige.com.
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