Big E WrapUp
1,050,624 FAIRGOERS
September 30, 2008
More Info: (413) 205-5041
Info Line (413) 205-5115
With opening and closing weekend rains and beautiful mid-Fair weather, 1,050,624 visitors attended the 2008 Big E. During the Fair, three attendance records were set: The first Wednesday, 75,661; second Monday, 66,970; and the second Thursday, 63,844. Live sea lions, top name talent, celebrity chefs, Cultura 2008, the Mardi Gras Parade, rides, crafts, fair food and animals shared the grounds with longtime favorites and new sights and sounds, offering fairgoers an endless "menu" of activities with something for everyone.
Ticketed concerts by Natasha Bedingfield and Fergie took place on the Comcast Arena Stage. Sugarland cancelled its sold out performance due to illness. LeAnn Rimes, Jason Aldean, Jordin Sparks, Brian Howe (former Bad Company lead singer), Ashley Gearing and Danity Kane performed in free shows on the stage.
On the Court of Honor stage, sponsored by Comcast, the talents of Micky Dolenz, A Taste of Honey, JYPSI, Tiffany, Esteban and Malo were heard.
The Big E was again named an American Bus Association Top 100 Event for 2008.
The Fair opened with a salute to active military personnel and veterans on Military Appreciation Day with free admission for military and reserve personnel, their dependents and veterans.
The all-new Big E Super Circus, sponsored by Coca-Cola, featured Sylvia Zerbini and her "Horses at Liberty" with an Aerial Lyre act, The Flying Pages flying trapeze, the comedy antics of Johnny Peers, The Big E Super Circus Elephants, the Gagik Glass Box, Duo Fusion Hand Balancing, Hans Klose and His Performing Canines and Ringmaster Billy Martin.
Exciting Exhibits -- The Sea Lion Splash, sponsored by NewAlliance Bank, gave fairgoers a glimpse of these personality-plus crowd-pleasers as trainers put them through their paces. The stars of the show are rescued sea lions that could not be returned to the wild due to injury or age and now have a permanent home with Squalus Inc.
In the New England Center, American Circus Posters showcased a private collection of rare and exquisite circus posters dating from the late 19th century. Fairgoers had the chance to view more than 60 historic posters and photographs detailing the history, beauty and popularity of the American circus.
Wine tastings were offered daily at Storrowton Village Museum's Gift Shop. For a $7.50 tasting fee, Big E guests could sample four different wines which changed daily throughout the Fair. The tastings showcased a different vineyard each day including Concha Toro of Chile, Beringer of California and Stonehaven of Australia.
The 2008 JVC Hi-Def Experience! Tour let visitors experience the sight, sound and touch of the latest in consumer electronics. From HD TVs to digital cameras and camcorders to iPod TVs and the latest games, there was something to entice everyone's inner techie.
The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales, celebrating 75 years as an American icon and the symbol of Anheuser-Busch, returned to The Big E to march in the Daily Parade pulling their famous red, white and gold beer wagon. They were also on display on Springfield Road throughout the Fair.
Cultura 2008, The Big E's salute to Hispanic heritage, was brought back for a second year. Performers included Malo, one of the most successful Latin Rock bands in the world, daily on the Court of Honor Stage, sponsored by Comcast, and Mariachi Azteca Del Sol, daily on the Storrowton Village Gazebo, sponsored by Big Y World Class Market®. The Food Court came alive with the Latin beat and Salsa lessons.
Two parades passed along the byways of the Fair: The Daily Parade with contingents, animals, hitches and marching bands, and The Big E Mardi Gras Parade, which featured costumed revelers tossing well over 300,000 beads to excited guests.
Food & Beverage -- The Harvest New England Kitchen Theater, sponsored by Uncommon USA/Ladderworks and Performance Food Group, in the Young Building, was the site of cooking demonstrations, food sampling and recipe contests. This year's special guests included Chef Rich Camerota of "Cooking with Carando," Discovery Health's Nathan Lyon of "A Lyon in the Kitchen" and weight loss expert turned author and TV personality, Kim Bensen."
The Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pie Crust Championship and Hidden Valley® Dressings "Fresh Taste for the Family" Recipe Contest brought local and regional cooking talent to the Fair. More than 38 participants brought their creations to be judged in the popular kitchen.
The winners of this year's second annual Big E Northeast Gold Wine Competition and The Big E Gold Medal Cheese Competition were on display in the Harvest New England Kitchen Theater throughout the Fair.
The Big E Cream Puff Bakery was deep in sweet as 49,500 Big E Cream Puffs, the Fair's signature delight, 28,000 Big Eclairs and 9,000 dozen chocolate chip cookies were consumed by hungry fairgoers. Getting all these delectable treats ready to satisfy your taste buds took 1.5 tons of chocolate, 29,000 eggs, 1,530 gallons of heavy cream and 1,332 lbs. of butter.
The Big MartinE Bar in the Italian Pavilion featured a variety of E-Tinis including the Fair's signature Big E-Tini made, with locally owned and distributed V-One Vodka, to taste like The Big E Cream Puff.
Agriculture -- The Big E hosted thousands of animals from across the country in the largest livestock show in the East. Exhibitors at this year's Fair showed 838 dairy cattle, 362 beef cattle, 1,041 sheep, 413 goats, 180 llamas, 263 alpacas, 35 swine, 55 teams of oxen and 1,077 horses. Exhibitors included 5,044 4-H participants and 1,865 FFA members. 1,873 chicks were hatched in Farm-A-Rama and sheep dog trials returned with 25 canines participating.
The Big E was a great place to see a variety of farm animals and learn about the advancements in agricultural technology and animal care. From milking cows to giant pumpkins to baby chicks, the Fair offered a wide variety of exhibits including "American Goat, A Photographic Journey through America's Growing Goat Industry," documenting the expanding role goats play in American culture and agriculture today.
The Giant Pumpkin contest was won with an entry weighing a record-setting 1,284 lbs. in the adult class and a youth entry weighing 906 lbs., another record weight. The 4-H Beef Grand Champion Steer, a 1,170 lb. Shorthorn/Angus/Cross Type, was purchased for $6/lb. by Hilltown Pork, Inc. of Canaan, New York. The grain-fed steer are raised from birth by 4-Hers who purchase them and carefully record every aspect of their growth.
Woven into the little experiences that make The Big E memorable are traditions that have been as part of The Big E for many years. The Eastern States Exposition Horse Show, an A-Rated USEF show which featured Saddlebreds, Morgans, Hackneys and Friesians on four days; Hunters and Hunt Seat Equitation on five days; and The Big E Draft Horse Show on the last four days of the Fair which included the $31,000 Big E Draft Horse Showdown.
New England Traditions -- The Avenue of States, where each New England state capitol is represented by a replica of the original building, contains the native foods, products, crafts and tourist information of each state. Storrowton Village Museum, an authentic recreation of a New England 19th century village arranged around a classic Village green, hosted 19th century craft demonstrations, children's games, tours of its historic buildings and wine tasting in its Gift Shop.
The New England Center's Creative Arts showcase hosted three new competitions: Photography; Felting, Fulling and Recycling; and Cake Decorating. Plein Air painting took place for the second year with artists creating an original Fair scene on canvas with judging and a "Meet the Artists" session at the end of the day.
The North American Midway brought 49 rides including the new Double Shock ride.
Fun Facts -- The Big E has always been known for its variety of delicious foods, and the 2008 Fair was no different. 133 vendors provided tasty treats to suit every fairgoer's taste, from sit-down dinners at Storrowton Tavern and the Italian Pavilion, to fun Fair favorites. While strolling through the grounds, visitors enjoyed 3,060 bowls of cream of broccoli soup in a bread bowl, 50,000 lbs. of fried dough, 10,000 hamburgers and 2,800 hot dogs from the White Hut, 5.5 tons of grilled chicken and 1,400 "pulled" barbeque chicken sandwiches from the Agawam Lions Club, and 2,500 gallons of soft serve and 3,000 gallons of Rondeau's Dairy Bar ice cream.
Visitors enjoyed culinary delights in the different State buildings. In the Maine Building, 2 tons of Maine baked potatoes, covered with 10,380 lbs. of sour cream, 4,720 lbs. of cheddar cheese, 5,124 lbs. of butter and 660 lbs. of bacon bits were devoured by famished fairgoers. The staff at the New Hampshire Building served 6,800 slices of blueberry pie topped with 150 gallons of ice cream as well as 107 bushels of corn on the cob. In Massachusetts, 1,750 delicious root beer floats were sipped and 15,000 lobster rolls devoured. In the Rhode Island Building, 5.5 tons of Kenyon's Clam Mix created countless fritters, and in the Vermont Building guests enjoyed 30,000 slices of hot Vermont apple pie topped with 450 pounds of cheddar cheese or 1,000 gallons of ice cream in addition to 20,000 servings of apple crisp, 4,000 gallons of apple cider and 5,000 apple pies taken home to enjoy after the Fair.
More than 900,000 ounces of Coca-Cola, kept cool with 150,000 lbs. of ice, quenched everyone's thirst.
Visit TheBigE.com for details as plans begin to take shape for the next edition of New England's Autumn Tradition which takes place September 18 - October 4, 2009.
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