WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The annual celebration of all six New England states has returned to the fairgrounds in West Springfield.
The Eastern States Exposition – The Big E – opened on a sunny Friday the 13th for its 108th edition.
As crowds began filling up the 175 acres at The Big E, the fair’s CEO Gene Cassidy said, “'United We Fair' is our theme this year... The best part of the Big E is bringing people together.”
With more than 100 new food items, Cassidy added there is ample opportunity for fairgoers to indulge.
“There is a lot of great food at the fair that crosses a lot of spectrums.” Cassidy said, “I’d like to see two million people here this year, and if everyone shows some pride in the Big E, we could probably do that.”
On the Avenue of the States, there was a good crowd checking out the newly renovated and reimagined Connecticut Building.
Anthony Anthony, the chief marketing officer for the state of Connecticut said, “This was a vision we had almost a year ago, and it’s come to life in a vibrant and fun way. You walk into the [Connecticut] Building, and it shows you every little bit of what makes Connecticut who we are and how we feel.”
EJ Dean, who owns the Big E Bakery and was showcasing his famous Big E Cream Puff and Eclairs once again this year said, “The best part of opening day is just that we are here and we are doing this again - we’re here, we’re back and we’re excited to see people.”
This year’s Eastern States Exposition runs from Sept. 13 through Sept. 29.
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Jim Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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