If you’re a Massachusetts resident, you’ve almost definitely heard of the Big E. If you’ve been lucky enough, you’ve been to it before. I went back home to Western Massachusetts last weekend to visit this famous fair. Parking and getting into the fair can be a pain, but my boyfriend and I got lucky enough to find an unattended lot, so it was free. When you first enter, there are a number of things that you may see, as there are what feels like a million different entrances.
To start, we just took a lap around the fair, trying to decide what to eat first. Eventually, we found our way into the state buildings. For the readers who aren’t familiar, there is a building for every New England state, filled with their best food and goods for sale. Every year, I make it a point to get a New Hampshire baked potato, so we decided to indulge in that first. Since the state buildings close at 9 p.m. while the rest of the fair stayed open until 10 p.m., we went through the actual walkways that had items for sale. Pretty much any random thing you can think of, you can purchase at the Big E. They had dog treats, shoe cleansers, pillows, light-up shoes, jewelry, stained glass, mattresses, and truly anything you could think up. The hardest part about attending this fair is figuring out where exactly you want to spend all your money.
Throughout the night, we got fresh lemonade, cream puffs, pizza, and cider donuts. That list would typically be much longer, but we unfortunately ran out of time before we could run out of room in our stomachs. The amount of fried food available at the Big E is extraordinary; it’s enough to make you want to diet for a month after visiting the fair for one day. They have fried Oreos, fried dough, fried pickles, donut burgers, and Belgian waffle sandwiches, and any ice creams, candy, or donuts you could possibly wish up will be at your disposal.
A staple of the Big E is the Midway sign where all the rides are held. They have everything from kiddie rides, to small roller-coasters, to a ride that’ll leave you drenched in water. Throughout the walkway of the rides, you pass through games that cost $3-$5 to play, which isn’t a bad price point.
What is probably my least favorite part of the Big E is the problematic petting zoo they have, filled with kangaroos, camels, sheep, and goats. In another section, you can pay to ride a pony or elephant. People have been advocating to have this part of the fair removed for years now, as some find it to be animal abuse and exploitation.
The Big E lasts for three weeks, but the school is visiting for the last weekend on Saturday, September 29. It’s about a 2-hour drive there, but it is worth it. There are a million things to do, to see, and to eat, so go crazy! Tickets will be on sale soon.