WEST SPRINGFIELD -- It is year 101 for at the Eastern States Exposition where thousands flocked to celebrate Connecticut Day Wednesday.
Along the Avenue of States, the mini version of Connecticut's state house was doing a brisk business inside, and a barbershop chorus entertained the crowd outside.
"It's one of the best days of the fair," exclaimed Noreen Tessinari, the marketing director for The Big E. "We have the biggest parade and so many guests who come from south of the border on Connecticut Day."
Walking by a host of fried food vending options, Rosa White, from New Haven said, "I like everything about The Big E, the food, the entertainment."
Inside the Connecticut House, Bruce Bernatchy from Southington, said "I'm from Connecticut and this is a pride thing, I come here to represent the best state at The Big E."
This year, The Big E brass said they expect more than one million people to travel through their gates. Their all time attendance record was set two years ago, when nearly 1.5 million visitors came to the fairgrounds.