Eastern States Exposition attendance sets record

The sun shone brightly on The Big E on all but one morning – making the annual Fair the second most successful event in its history with 1,227,889 fairgoers attending from throughout the Northeast. Three attendance records were set: The first Wednesday, 73,258; second Monday, 66,790; and second Tuesday, 56,974.

The sun shone brightly on The Big E on all but one morning – making the annual Fair the second most successful event in its history with 1,227,889 fairgoers attending from throughout the Northeast. Three attendance records were set: The first Wednesday, 73,258; second Monday, 66,790; and second Tuesday, 56,974.

Concerts by DAUGHTRY, Trace Adkins, Montgomery Gentry and other Country and pop stars, live sharks, celebrity chefs, Cultura 2007, the Mardi Gras Parade, rides, a Marriage on the Midway, crafts, fair food, and animals shared the grounds with long-time favorites and new sights and sounds, offering fairgoers an endless “menu” of activities with something for everyone.

The Big E was again named an American Bus Association Top 100 Event.

The Fair opened with a salute to active military personnel and veterans on Military Appreciation Day with free admission for military personnel and veterans.

Cultura 2007, The Big E’s salute to Hispanic heritage, debuted this year, with an appearance by Daisy Martinez of PBS’ “Daisy Cooks” and a special Latin performance by Dian Diaz. The Food Court came alive with the Latin beat and Salsa lessons were offered on the Midway. The Big E also sponsored a poster contest, “My Family, My Heritage” (Mi Familia, Mi Herencia). Six students from Springfield and West Springfield elementary and middle schools received prizes for their entries.

The experienced connoisseur or the uninitiated had the opportunity to partake in a palate-pleasing adventure at this year’s Fair. Wine tastings were offered daily at Storrowton Village Museum’s Gift Shop. For a $5 tasting fee, Big E guests could sample three different wines which rotated throughout the Fair. The tastings showcased various wines from as near as New England and New York to as far away as Chile and South Africa. Many of the wines were winners in the second annual Big E Northeast Gold Wine Competition.

The Big E went ”Green” this year in an effort to conserve energy and keep the environment healthy. All plastic cold drink cups and paper napkins were biodegradable and recyclable. The cups were made in the U.S. of Nebraska corn. The napkins were made with a high proportion of recycled fiber and produced using carbon neutral fuels, such as wood residue and biofuels.

Amazing Performances on Two Stages — Country, Rock and Pop kept concert-goers hopping. The Comcast Arena Stage, with seating for 6,100, hosted DAUGHTRY, Trace Adkins and Montgomery Gentry in ticketed concerts. $1.5 million in free entertainment included performances by Rock legend Joan Jett, rising Pop star Brooke Hogan, fifth-season American Idol winner Taylor Hicks and Country music star Josh Turner.

Entertainment on the Court of Honor Stage, sponsored by Comcast, included performances by Dian Diaz, Maxine Nightingale, The Tymes, Chuck Negron and PovertyNeck Hillbillies. The popular outdoor stage was also host to JIGU! Thunder Drums of China, sponsored by Big Y World Class Market, a world-renown group of 28 drummers, percussionists and musicians.

The all-new Big E Super Circus, sponsored by Coca-Cola, featured The Flying Pages flying trapeze act, Calusari Teeterboard Troupe, Johnny Peers Comedy Dogs, Alesya’s Hula Hoops, Gagik Hand Balancing Act, Fusco Brothers Juggling and Ringmistress Heidi Herriott.

The Storrowton Gazebo, sponsored by Bernardino’s Bakery, showcased John Bressler who has appeared in events across the country and astonishes crowds with his mastery of six electronic keyboards and unique vocals.

Michael and Jennifer Raccio, of Waterbury, Conn., won the online Marriage on the Midway contest and said their vows in front of 100 guests on The Big E’s North American Midway Saturday, Sept. 15. Ten finalists were selected from all submitted essays and photos and online voting determined the lucky couple. The wedding included a cream puff wedding cake and reception on the Midway.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police returned after a ten-year absence with their spectacular Musical Ride, hosted by Osterman Propane, a display of precision partnership between man and horse. A full troop of thirty-two riders and horses executed a variety of intricate figures and cavalry drills choreographed to music.

Haai, Inc.’s Live Shark Experience, sponsored by NewAlliance Bank, gave fairgoers a chance to get up close and personal with one of nature’s most feared hunters. A diver entered the 7,000 gallon salt water tank and interacted with sharks. This attraction also included The Great White Encounter where visitors could step inside the jaws of the ancient Great White and learn more about this fascinating species through educational videos, posters and shark artifacts.

Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Adventure Tour was a realistic environment filled with fun and educational activities. This state-of-the-art traveling experience highlighted a variety of wildlife adventures through three distinct habitats with lifelike animatronics, hands-on activities, a wilderness backdrop for photos.

In the New England Center, “Headline History: The Top 40 News Stories of Our Time,” sponsored by The Republican/MassLive, displayed the power of words through 40 framed banner headlines from some of America's leading newspapers. Fairgoers could also visit gardens long gone through the photographic “Lost Gardens of New England” exhibit, organized by Historic New England and presented by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities in Boston, Mass.

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 PBS Chefs Daisy Martinez of “Daisy Cooks” and Lydia Bastianich, host of “Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen” and author of several books including her latest “Lidia's Italy.”

The Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pie Crust Championship and Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch® “Family Friendly Food” Contest brought local and regional cooking talent to the Fair. More than 29 participants brought their creations to be judged in the popular kitchen.

The Double Gold winners of this year’s second annual Big E Northeast Gold Wine 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 47,000 Big E Cream Puffs, the Fair’s signature delight, were consumed by hungry fairgoers.

The Big MartinE Bar relocated to the Italian Pavilion this year and continued to feature 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 1,383 dairy cattle, 673 beef cattle, 2,196 sheep, 303 goats, 173 llamas, 256 alpacas, 72 swine, 35 teams of oxen and 1,099 horses. Exhibitors included 6,107 4-H participants and 3,475 FFA members. 1,864 chicks were hatched in Farm-A-Rama.

The Big E, as always, 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 Big E offered a wide variety of exhibits including “From Dairy to Doorstep,” a history of milk delivery from 1860 to 1960.

The Giant Pumpkin contest was won with an entry weighing 954 lbs. in the adult class and a youth entry weighing 558 lbs. The 4-H Beef Grand Champion Steer, a 1,160 lb. Hereford, was purchased for $6.20/lb. by Hilltown Pork, Inc. of Granville, Mass., and the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Mass.

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 is an A–Rated USEF show which featured Hunters and Jumpers on five days; Saddlebreds, Morgans, Hackneys and Friesians on three days and The Big E Draft Horse Show on the last four days of the Fair which included the $30,000 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 a new wine tasting in the Village Gift Shop.

The North American Midway brought 48 rides including new rides: the Spinning Coaster, Twister, Wave Swinger and the all new Swing Tower.

Fun Facts — The Big E has always been known for its variety of delicious foods, and the 2007 Fair was no different. 148 vendors provided tasty treats to suit every fairgoer’s tastes, from sit-down dinners at Storrowton Tavern and the Italian Pavilion to fun Fair favorites. While strolling the grounds, visitors enjoyed 3,500 bowls of cream of broccoli soup in a bread bowl, 50,000 lbs. of fried dough, 5.5 tons of grilled chicken and 1,600 “pulled” barbeque chicken sandwiches from the Agawam Lions Club, 2,500 gallons of soft serve, 4,000 gallons of Rondeau’s Dairy Bar ice cream and 47,000 Big E Cream Puffs.

Visitors enjoyed culinary delights in the different State buildings. In the Maine Building, 42 tons of Maine baked potatoes, covered with 10,200 lbs. of sour cream, 952 lbs. of cheddar cheese, 5,100 lbs. of butter and 850 lbs. of bacon bits were devoured by famished fairgoers. Kettle Corn outside the Maine Building popped over 1 ton of kettle corn. The staff at the New Hampshire Building served 13,500 slices of blueberry pie topped with 660 gallons of ice cream. In Massachusetts, 680 delicious root beer floats were sipped. 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 1,500 gallons of ice cream in addition to 30,000 servings of apple crisp and 4,200 gallons of apple cider.

More than 1 million ounces of Coca-Cola, kept cool with 260,000 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 12-28, 2008.

AGRICULTURE NEWSLETTER

Eastern States Exposition attendance sets record