This is our fall treat. Every year we are looking for fair season and Berlin Fairgrounds its on the list. They have convenient parking close by but for those that can not find parking they also provide shuttle service to and from the fairgrounds . We took the shuttle from Eversource. Its seems like every year this fair its getting bigger and bigger. With a buzz of people and an enormous amount of food and activities to do. THE FOOD oh my, the food , so many vendor to pick from its hard to decide. We are A LOT, street corn from Mexican vendors, grinders from church tents, and of course we can't forget the expected fried dough. I also noticed the decrease of animal activity, it seems like more comercial than a fair animal experience itself. And at night its so exciting to see the rides illuminated and music playing loud for everyone to hear. A lot of happy memories. read more

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I love coming here every year, especially on Thursdays for demo Derby When I'm not at demo Derby, which takes all day, I enjoy a different day with all the different local vendors, small Mom and pop shops, all the different shows, and of course, who could forget the food?! The different livestock, and the cute little chicks being hatched are one of my favorite things The carnival area is great for kids, which I don't have so personally I don't venture to this area often as it is a little wild, especially on the weekend Thursday is the best day to go because of demo Derby however it's a few hours long and being opening day you don't get much time at the fair. I would suggest going on a Friday as well to experience the full fair. read more

Very well organized. The bus shuttles were very good and on time. So many food vendors this year with plenty of options! Everyone was very nice and friendly. The best fried dough and donuts!! Nice craft vendors with a nice variety of products. The animals in the barn were well taking care of. read more

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We had a fantastic time at the fair this year. It's definitely best to go on a weekday to avoid the crowds but on the weekend they have convenient shuttles. So many food vendors and the rides were excellent. We never miss the demo derby and many show attractions. May go a second time this weekend. read more

Berlin Fair - Festivals Near Me - East Berlin, Connecticut

I have such great memories of the Berlin Fair as a teen and this past Sunday when I woke up, I knew I had to make my way there. The weather was beautiful- 73 degrees. Sunny, cool breeze. How could you not go to a fair only ten minutes from where you live? They had shuttle service from Eversource and it took just a few minutes to get dropped off. Sunday at 9:30 AM is the best time to get there. I had the fair ground to myself practically. Had a great time snapping some pics, checking out vendor goods and figuring out my food plan of action. When I walked past the Kensington Methodist Church Hall, they had hot chicken on the grill outside and you could smell how delicious it was from a mile away. I knew that would be my spot. Had I not had time to walk around before the crowds filled in, I never would have known it was there after all the years I had come in the past. Before that though, I started with the classic Loaded Baked Potato. Always a must to get at the Berlin Fair! It did not disappoint. Check out the photos and video I posted. That made for a great breakfast! First meal of the day. My next stop was for the bbq chicken and there, I also got some pierogies with grilled onion. I was fully embracing all things potato that morning. The chicken was unbelievably juicy and delicious. On my way out I grabbed a few items to go- a caramel and a candy apple, a fried dough with powdered sugar and a medium sized kettle corn. I had to leave with a few edible souvenirs lol I hopped back on the shuttle and was back home by 12:30 PM. The crowd was picking up when I left. I really had a great experience going so early and I will definitely do that again in the future. Can't wait to return next year! read more

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Parking attendants knew nothing & didn't direct well. Then the lines to get in were a mess. No signs directing who paid online. Who still needed to pay. It was very disorganized going in. Food was alright. Best thing we had fried dough. Idk if I would go back. read more

Lots of family fun and loads of rides. Unless your kid only wants to ride a couple of specific rides, I'd definitely recommend getting the wristband so you can go on limitless rides and save money in the long run. The thing that's good about this fair is that parking is free and the shuttles are well run. Of course the fair itself will have plenty of crowds and lines and overpriced vendors but given all of the festivities I thought this was one of the better events to attend in the area. read more

This fair is smaller than the Durham fair but not by much. They make Beckley road a one-way that you have to enter from the Berlin Turnpike. There are paid lots for $10. Or a bus option that probably picks you up from a large lot elsewhere. I haven't tried that yet. The fried dough from the yellow Lions Club building was good. Also the sweet potato fries from a permanent structure in the center of the fair were tasty. The lobster bisque for $5 was a rip off. More like a minced seafood chowder. There is a large pine Pavillion that houses fried vegetables and most of the beer vendors. You're supposed to get a green wrist bracelet from the security guard who verifies your ID. The vendors will mostly not require it if you look like your in your 30s. The ID was longer and slower than the actual place you wait to buy drinks. They did sell decent wine; red and white by the cup for $5. read more

Berlin Fair - Berlin Historical Building - Festivals Near Me - East Berlin, Connecticut

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There's nothing like a country fair. This was my first time at the Berlin Fair. I convinced Writer Friend to go with me and we headed out to the fair. I suggest that attendees take advantage of the off-site parking and free shuttle service. You had to pay for parking at the fair, and it was a long walk from the parking lots to the entrance. We parked at the Eversource location, where the bus was just a few steps from the car, and left soon after we boarded. Once we got into the fair, we were amazed at the different displays--everything you could imagine being at a fair was here, and we spent most of the day going from exhibit to exhibit. Writer Friend was particularly interested in the "Sheep and Swine" exhibit, and while I'm pretty much a city boy, humored her and followed her through it. It was quite an interesting display. I started counting the different types of sheep, but I nearly fell asleep. Being on perennial diets, we showed considerable restraint with the myriad food options--everything from popcorn, BBQ, seafood, hamburgers and hot dogs, pierogies - you name it. We, however, had our sights set on fried dough, which we found near the rides. They were decent-sized, with a choice of tomato sauce or powdered sugar, and weren't as expensive as I have seen at other fairs ($5 each). Writer Friend was disappointed as she was too short to ride many of the amusements, and refused to go on any of the kiddie rides. She compensated with a candied apple, which was the only other thing she wanted. So, an excellent fair, with a little something for everyone. I can't wait to go back next year! read more

As far as local fairs go, this is bigger than most and seems great for kids -- it's got a petting zoo, rides, typical fair food, and lots of toys and junky souvenir type things for sale. It was fun to walk around for half an hour or so, but wasn't really up my alley for anything more than that. Though they do have some of the typical harvest fair entertainment in the way of tractor pulls and agricultural contests (produce, rabbits/chickens, baked goods and such). Parking wasn't as much of a hassle as I anticipated, and $12 for admission didn't seem worth it but I'm sure this is expensive to put on. read more

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My review of the Berlin Fair. Well overall not a horrible fair. Same basic everything you'll find at any other fair. Nothing different in any way. A lot of rides for the kids and the usual church food. Cow barn was blocked off while we were there for cow judging which was disappointing. The other chicken barns and swine/goat barns were as good as always. They had a bull rodeo and horse show but only got to see a few horses. There was a huge commercial presence there. Car dealerships and internet companies all pushing their product. I didn't see much in the way of historical farm equipment or anything special in nature which was a disappointment. The biggest let down happened before even purchasing tickets. This was the guy that was frisking, waving the magic wand and searching purses, baby carriages and having people empty their pockets. Of course I did not comply and created somewhat of a scene forcing him to move on to the next person. I guess a violation of my rights is what I get for wanting to buy my way into a fair these days. I've made the decision to never attend this fair ever again based on the search (and in some cases seizure) of their paying customers and their personal property. If you're a person who just "complies" to any demand made from anyone then by all means go here but for people who value their rights then I recommend avoiding this one. read more

Very nice fair. Most of the food are from local churches, fire departments, and Boy Scouts. Truck pulls, rodeo, and pig racing read more

Berlin Fair - Bull riding - Festivals Near Me - East Berlin, Connecticut

I've found my new favorite, local fair. I've done the Big E on both weekdays (yay) and weekends (huge nay) and I'm pretty much over the hassle of the traffic and the long lines you must endure on the weekends. I'm out on the Berlin Turnpike often so hitting this fair easy, close to home (West Hartford) and a no brainer. I went with my wife and another couple around 5pm on a Saturday. We easily parked at Eversource (for what? for FREE!) and immediately got on a bus to go to the fair. I loved that they didn't wait for the bus to fill up before we moved. It was delightful to drive right past cars sitting in traffic as we pulled up to the entrance gate. The line to get in took about 15 minutes (if you have prepaid tickets or cash you could get in quicker and someone was there to tell everyone in line just that). It's not a gigantic fair but it's definitely big enough. I'll be honest, I'm 99% about the food at a fair and this little gem did not disappoint. As others have noted in their reviews, the food is all made by locals and it's damn good. I don't recall which specific vendors I visited but here's what I shared: a BBQ chicken sandwich, lobster roll with a side of mac and cheese, pierogies with onions (so hot they melted the bottom off of the plastic bowl),sausage and pepper grinder and one of those giant donuts right by the entrance. Also consumed, several Sam Adams Octoberfest pints at a wonderful $6 price point. That damn donut was so good. Better than fried dough and worth the sugar on my face. We got out of the fair as easily as we got in. A bus was waiting for us and it took off as soon as it was slightly full. It was a great couple of hours of eating, drinking and people watching. I'll be back next year for sure. read more

My favorite fair will always be the Berlin Fair, but I am a Berlin native and grew up standing in line for rides, wasting my money on games, and begging my mom to buy me fried dough. Friday is the best day to go because all the locals come out and it's like a high school reunion. But Sunday afternoons are nice because they're quieter and things are winding down. What I love- everything is put on by locals. If you live in town, chances are you were suckered into volunteering at a church/fire department/Boy Scout booth. The food served at the booths is cooked by grandmas and grandpas with recipes perfected over the years. And the money these organizations raise over the weekend goes to scholarships and charitable causes. If you love food and all that agricultural stuff (pig races, tractor pulls, and homemade crafts on display) you'll love this fair. If you're looking to buy high end wares, this is not your fair. Definitely take a shuttle bus and get a discounted ticket at Roger's. Skip the carnival food (you know, from those carts that move from fair to fair) and eat at one of the amazing booths. My favorites are the giant baked potato, fried dough, and doughnuts! read more

The Big E, you've met your match... The Little B. Big E - Sit in miles of traffic for the privilege of paying at least $10 to park in some lot light years away from the gates. Tickets are $15. Little B - Several easily accessible parking lots around Berlin with shuttles that take you directly to the front gate, all for FREE. Tickets are $12 at the gate, $10 in advance if you get them at Roger's Supermarket in Berlin (stop and visit, they could use the business). Big E - Too big for its own good, can't possibly see everything in one day. Little B - See everything in 3-4 hours with time to spare. Big E - Food for the sheer purpose of insanity. Little B - Food for the purpose of being good, and at times pleasantly different. The butterfly chips, giant fresh donuts, hand pressed lemonade, turkey legs, and giant baked potatoes are some of the highlights in my opinion. Big E - Price gouge at every turn. Little B - Pretty much every single food item is reasonably priced. $5 will get you a 16 ounce beer or a gigantic fresh lemonade. $2.50 for a pretzel or hot dog. $6 for a giant heap of those butterfly potato chips... easily sharable. You get the occasional eye-roller, e.g. $20 for 8 ounces of beef jerky, but such occurrences are few and far between. This is Connecticut's fair. It's the second biggest one in the state (Durham), but it doesn't overlap dates with the Big E, so it wins the mental contest I made up in my head. Plus, I'm from Berlin, so it wins anyway. Please attend annually and keep my property taxes low. Thanks. read more

You have probably read Jason M's review already, but I will briefly chime in on the Berlin Fair... Once you go to the Berlin Fair, you will never want to go to any other fair in CT. Though it is small, it is a real fair, not a corporate lalapalooza like the Big E. The atmosphere is homey and I feel like I am brought back in time. The food is awesome and made by local organizations. To enjoy your visit, DO NOT PARK AT THE BERLIN FAIR. Find a FREE shuttle at either Berlin High School or Assa Alloy so you don't have to battle the traffic and get into a car accident. Also, you should purchase your discounted tickets at Rogers's IGA in town. Purchasing your tickets in advance saves money and time. read more

The many (but extremely over priced ) food options are the best thing about this fair..other than that there's really not much to hold your interest...the entertainment was pretty lame and the fact that they have the animal pens ( with the strong scent of you know what) dispursed around the food areas is really enough to kill your appetite. I was disappointed and won't go back..the guilford fair is much better and set up so that you can eat your food without feeling nauseated. the merchandise they were hawking there was really awful..nothing I even wanted to LOOK at ,never mind buy. Save your money... definitely not worth the admission fee. Just one more comment... I totally appreciated the security measures at the gate.they did a great job and I felt totally safe being there.but disappointed with the fair itself ,unfortunately. read more

Pretty average Connecticut agricultural fair. This particular fair has more churches and nonprofits staffing food buildings than any other I've been to, evidence of quite a bit of community commitment, and their menu offerings are decent. The exhibits, midway and entertainment options are fairly spartan for a fair of this size so this is not one that I'd return to on a regular basis. read more

I love this fair and have been attending for 50+ years. The ag displays are top notch, and the entertainment is always varied. There is a good mix of vendors, displays, rides and games. As for the food: Best is the Boy Scouts with their steamed cheeseburgers. They are a nice change from griddled burgers, and the cheese they use is awesome. Worst are the so-called freedom fries, which I think are supposed to resemble French fries, except they don't. There is a truck that sells differently shaped fries, like butterfly wings, which are made from real potatoes and those taste really good. Seniors get in cheap, as do students. Little kids are free. I used to go with my folks, then brought our own kids, and now it's the grandkids. Things have changed over the years, but not by a whole lot. read more