Big E WrapUp
1,260,487 FAIRGOERS
October 5, 2009
More Info: (413) 205-5041
Info Line (413) 205-5115
BIG E SETS NEW ATTENDANCE RECORD
The highest attendance in the history of The Big E was set when 1,260,487 visitors attended the 2009 Big E, from September 18 to October 4. Six single-day attendance records were noted during the run of the Fair: the first Monday, 64,577; first Thursday, 68,475; second Saturday, 156,074; second Monday, 83,410; second Tuesday, 59,777; and the second Thursday, 70,572.
A James Bond stunt car exhibit, top name talent, a personal care pavilion, the Mardi Gras Parade, rides, crafts, fair food and animals shared the grounds with longtime favorites and new sights and sounds, offering an unlimited bill of fare of activities and features with something for everyone.
The Big E was designated an American Bus Association (ABA) Internationally Known Event (IKE) by Peter Pantuso, president of the ABA who made the announcement at the Fair. This places The Big E in a category with such events as the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Superbowl, the Indianapolis 500 Festival and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
A sold out concert by Sugarland and special guest Matt Nathanson took place on the Comcast Arena Stage. Free shows on the stage included Charice, An Evening With Boyz II Men, Foghat, Little Big Town, Jamey Johnson, Bret Michaels Rock of Love Tour and Seether.
On the Court of Honor stage, sponsored by Comcast, the talents of Stars of the Peking Acrobats; Terry Sylvester formerly of The Hollies; Thelma Houston; Richard Street, former lead singer of The Temptations; and "Mack the Knife" - The Music and Life of Bobby Darin, performed by Chaz Esposito; were heard and seen.
The Fair opened for the second year with Military Appreciation Day and a salute to active military personnel and veterans with free admission for military and reserve personnel, their immediate family members and veterans. It was also Be A Kid For A Day - all ages paid the children's price of $8.
On the last day of the Fair, The Big E saluted the people and work of Special Olympics Massachusetts. Activities included Opening Ceremonies and a Law Enforcement Torch Run that culminated with the lighting of the Special Olympics Caldron. The group was highlighted in Storrowton Village all day with demonstrations, speeches and displays, and the entire contingent marched in the Daily Parade.
The 2009 Big E Super Circus, sponsored by Coca-Cola, featured the return of The Flying Pages' flying trapeze act, the comic antics of Coco, The Big E Super Circus Elephants, the hula hoop artistry of Alesya Goulevitch, Electrifying Elayne's Archery of Magnificent Contortion, Neecha's Dobermans, and the acrobatic Duo Voltart, with Ringmaster Joseph D. Bauer.
Exciting Exhibits -- The 007 James Bond Spiral Stunt Car Exhibit, sponsored by Uncommon USA, featured the famous car that performed the "Astro Spiral" 360-degree corkscrew jump in the James Bond movie, "Man with the Golden Gun," starring Roger Moore. The L'Oréal Paris Color Space was a 5,000 sq. ft. interactive beauty pavilion where men and women learned firsthand about the latest trends and products for grooming, skin, hair and nails. Visitors could receive a skin analysis, hair color consultations, mini-makeovers and advice from L'Oréal's professional and licensed personal care specialists.
The return of 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.
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, sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino, which featured costumed revelers tossing well over 425,000 beads to excited guests.
Food & Beverage --The Hidden Valley® Dressings "Fresh Taste for the Family" Recipe Contest brought contestants and their cooking talents to the Fair, with some from as far away as Florida. This year a mother and daughter were the top two prize winners of the popular competition.
The winners of the Fair's fourth annual Big E Northeast Gold Wine Competition and second annual Big E Gold Medal Cheese Competition were on display in the Young Building throughout the Fair.
The Big E Cream Puff Bakery was sweetness itself as 50,000 Big E Cream Puffs, the Fair's signature delight, 30,000 Big Eclairs and 5,300 dozen chocolate chip cookies were consumed by hungry fairgoers. Getting all these delectable treats ready to satisfy took 1.5 tons of chocolate, 37,440 eggs, 1,710 gallons of heavy cream and 1,440 lbs. of butter.
New this year and the must-have food of the Fair was The Big E Craz-E Burger, a taste sensation consisting of a grilled glazed donut sandwiching two crispy thin-cut strips of bacon, a grilled beef patty and a slice of cheese. More than 16,000 Craz-E Burgers were served over the Fair's 17 days. The name "Craz-E Burger" was selected via an online contest in which more than 400 fans of The Big E's Facebook page submitted entries.
Also making their Big E debuts were Lordy's Elephant Ears, Whoopie Pies, Chimichangas from Crazy Rod's Mexican canteen, Dr. Vegetable's Fried Green Beans, margaritas and mojitos from Xena's Pub, designer waffles from The Waffle Hut, frozen custard from Amy's Sweet Treats, Down Home Rice Pudding's desserts and Diabetic Delight Rice Pudding, Pretzel Bites with dipping sauces, and wild game and salmon entrées from Yankee Boy.
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 716 dairy cattle, 406 beef cattle, 1,294 sheep, 431 goats, 143 llamas, 300 alpacas, 41 swine, 60 teams of oxen and 996 horses. Exhibitors included 5,653 4-H participants and 3,933 FFA members. 1,576 chicks were hatched in Farm-A-Rama and sheep dog trials returned with 44 canines participating.
The Big E was a great place to see a variety of farm animals and learn about advancements in agricultural technology and animal care. From shearing sheep to giant pumpkins to baby chicks, the Fair offered a wide variety of exhibits including Through the Seasons: The New England Farmers' Year, which explored the work of the farm through the seasons, as well as the tools, crops, almanacs and beliefs of men and women who lived the New England agrarian life.
The 4-H Beef Grand Champion Steer, weighing 1,250 lbs., was purchased at the Fair's auction for $5/lb. by Hilltown Pork, Inc., in Canaan, New York, and the Red Lion Inn in Sturbridge, Mass. The grain-fed steer are raised from birth by 4-H youngsters who purchase them and carefully record every aspect of their growth. The Giant Pumpkin contest was won with a 1,208 lb. entry in the adult class and a youth entry weighing 652 lbs. The Giant Squash contest was won with a 515 lb. entry in the adult class and 183 lb. entry in the youth class.
Woven into the little experiences that make The Big E memorable are traditions that have been a part of The Big E for many years. The Eastern States Exposition Horse Show, sponsored by Williams Distributing, is an A-Rated USEF show which featured Saddlebreds, Morgans, Hackneys and Friesians on four days; The Big E Draft Horse Show, which included the $30,000 Big E Draft Horse Showdown, on four days; and on the last five days of the Fair, Hunters, Jumpers and Hunt Seat Equitation.
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 displayed handcrafted treasures and winners of competitions in Fiber Arts, Photography, Cake Decorating and "Trashionable Fashion," clothing and accessories made of recycled materials. This year's theme was "Colors of Autumn."
The North American Midway brought 50 rides for kids of all ages to this year's Fair.
Fun Facts -- The Big E has always been known for its variety of delicious foods, and the 2009 Fair was no different. 130 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 4,000 bowls of cream of broccoli soup in a bread bowl, 55,000 lbs. of fried dough, 12,500 hamburgers and 4,000 hot dogs from the White Hut, 5.5 tons of grilled chicken and 1,200 "pulled" barbeque chicken sandwiches from the Agawam Lions Club, and 4,300 gallons of soft serve and 3,780 gallons of Rondeau's Dairy Bar ice cream.
Visitors enjoyed culinary delights in the different State buildings. In the Maine Building, more than 45 tons of Maine baked potatoes, covered with 10,588 lbs. of sour cream, 4,814 lbs. of cheddar cheese, 5,226 lbs. of butter and 673 lbs. of bacon bits were devoured by famished fairgoers. The staff at the New Hampshire Building served 7,000 slices of blueberry pie topped with 500 gallons of ice cream as well as 108 bushels of corn on the cob. In the Connecticut Building, 6,800 strips of chocolate-covered bacon and 2,500 Texas-Size Baked Potatoes were served. In Massachusetts, 750 delicious root beer floats were sipped and 9,275 lobster rolls devoured. In the Rhode Island Building, 6 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 1,100 gallons of ice cream in addition to 20,000 servings of apple crisp, 4,000 gallons of apple cider and 50,000 apple cider donuts.
More than 800,000 ounces of Coca-Cola, kept cool with 130,000 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 17-October 3, 2010.
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