I went to The Big E weeks ago, but I'm still nauseous thinking about how much food I ate. If any of it had been the least bit appetizing, I'm sure I would feel differently, but the only thing I can recommend from my visit was the maple bacon ice cream I got at the Rhode Island (Vermont? New Hampshire? they all blur together in my mind) statehouse. Now you might chalk it up to me not trying the right things, but believe me, I tried EVERYTHING. The Maine Baked Potato...blah. Fried Lasanga...blech. Chocolate Covered Bacon...where's the bacon?!? I also had a fried twinkie, stuffed quahogs, a corn dog, and the famous Big E cream puff, all of which failed to leave an impression (besides the sickening feeling they left in the pit of my cast iron stomach and the space in my wallet where money used to be). I didn't really get to explore many attractions, but if for whatever reason I find myself back here, I'll spend more time under the big top, and less time stuffing my face. read more

I look forward to the Big E for an entire year every year! So much food and entertainment. You have to go all 17 days to see and eat everything! The rides are great, music acts are great (saw George Thorogood for free last year) food is insane! read more

I love this fair. It's a must go every year. Such a great place to try different kind of foods. They always have different kind of interesting fried foods to try. Although if you live an hour or more away from the Big E I'd suggest going early because the traffic to get to the fair is insane! But other than that the Big E is filled with good times and great food! read more

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Overall a nice fair; enjoyable for families. Onto the food, cos that's what I'm here for. Avoid the turkey leg stand. The worse turkey leg I've ever had. The first one they gave me was burnt. It was charred n so bitter that I had to return it. The subsequent one they gave me faired slightly better till I got to the raw meat part. Raw poultry! Never again. At that point I just tossed the turkey leg into the trash and walked away; hoping against hope I won't get sick. At $12 a leg, you should spend your money elsewhere. Hubby got himself a pulled pork sandwich ($8) from the Texan bbq and he pronounced it delish. He had better luck than I did in the food department. Meat is filled to the brim on soft bulkie roll. To my delight; there's a gluten-free fried potato chips n fries' stand. At $10 for a lot of freshly fried chips, stop counting carbs n dive right in. Skip the turkey leg n just go straight for he chips n fries. read more

love it here so much! And Get frankies on the side of the CT building! Amazing burgers and dogs! read more

Plan on spending at least $300 just on food, who cares its once a year and worth it.... read more

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Huge food selection, draft beer on the rise, and TONS of local shops from around New England! The Big E is like a county fair on steroids, bringing the best from around the best things to see, eat, drink, and buy from around the northeastern US. My personal favorite and must-have every time I go there is the Big E cream puff (which MUST be accompanied by the small cup of milk). This HUGE cream puff is filled to the brim with the best cream filling I've ever had - not too dense or too sweet, finding the perfect balance that won't leave to feeling too too sluggish after. And I'm being dead serious about the cup of milk, too. I originally went to order the cream puff from a stand that wasn't selling the milk with it, and I snatched my money back and went to the other side of the building that did have the milk. Seriously, it makes the cream puff THAT much better. Besides the delicious cream puff, this year I didn't go too crazy with my food selections. I went with a White Hut burger with cheese and fried onions (if you are in the western Mass area, I highly suggest going to their place in West Springfield - it'll be one of the best burgers you've ever had), a bite or two of my girlfriend's Turducken sandwich which was pretty good but I'm glad I didn't get a whole one for myself, and a smoked pork taco that was very good. Add in a craft beer that I totally forget the name of, and I had another great experience at the Big E! Some day, I'd like to check it out on a week day when I'm sure it's way less crowded (I went on a Saturday so it was absolutely mobbed), but even with a crowd, it's well worth the yearly visit! read more

If you're ready to have a cheat day come to the Big E. There is nothing healthy here. Maybe the smoked salmon in the Maine house. That's probably the healthiest food item you will find here. Lots of fried everything; butter, veggies, dough, Oreos, etc. Some of the food stands do take credit cards now but majority of them only take cash. So make sure you bring a decent amount of cash. Now the Big E is not the cleanest or classiest place to hang out but if you live in the area I think it is worth visiting at least once. It's a fun place to eat and hang out with friends/family. Even the people watching here is interesting. The bathrooms are disgusting but that's to be expected considering how many people are using the facilities. Parking $10-20 + entrance fee $15 alone adds up to about $35. So this isn't a cheap thrill - try to make the best of it. Walk around, go inside each state house, eat some samples, and enjoy the beer gardens! read more

How can you not give The Big E five stars? What an experience. I'm new to New England so this was only the second time that I went but it was great. We went on a Sunday that had a pretty bad looking forecast and in turn it wasn't that crowded. The state houses were great and there was a lot of new food items to try. The poutine truck was amazing! I will come back every year as long as I'm in New England! read more

I first came to the Big E with my husband when we were new residents of Connecticut in 2011. We ate a bunch of fair food (giant turkey legs, deep fried everything you can think of, etc), got a few cool things from the vendors and coveted the hot tubs. We'd never been to a fair quite like the Big E and we really enjoyed it. We came back a year later with our family (from NY) and they too had an awesome experience. They loved it so much that when my husband and I moved to the west coast for a couple of years my family still tried to think of ways they could make it to the Big E. This year we're Connecticans once again so we knew we had to check out the Big E. We came on the 1st Saturday it was open and boyyyy was it crowded. Nevertheless we walked around, caught some beads in the parade, stuffed our faces with fair food, stood on the long (but worth it Maine potato line), checked out the vendors and once again coveted the hot tubs. We had a great time and will definitely be back for years to come! read more

I have only been to the Big E one time before in my life. And I did not really enjoy myself that time. this time I've been sitting within a mile of the Big E for the past three and a half hours and I have barely moved. I'm ready to go home and it wasn't worth any of it. I do not recommend coming ever. read more

The Eastern States Exposition, housed in West Springfield, MA, is home to 4-H shows, various conventions, and other good fun. But really, it's all about The Big E. The big boy of all New England fairs. Where else do you get state houses where each state's wares are incredibly well-presented, from Vermont maple to Maine lobster to Connecticut radio (there was a radio set up there when I went by some time in the 90s). Each September, Route 5 gets even more crowded as people merge into traffic on Memorial Drive, just for the opportunity to check out a variety of New England's wares, or a country or rock show, or a carnival experience that's much more fruitful than the Six Flags down the road. I haven't been in a few years, but there's nothing better than The Big E. read more

Hands down my favorite fair to attend every year. I've been going now for over 20 years and these are the tips I have to offer. Put your running shoes on and lets go over a few thing : Number one above all wear comfortable shoes your feet will thank you. Buy advanced tickets on line ( hey a service charge ), early tickets at big y or at a aaa office if your a member. Go early and look at the parking prices I usually get a spot close to a entrance and it's cheaper first thing. Bring a light sling bag to wear- never know if you will want to bring anything home. Go in all buildings! Animals, crafts, toys - it really is endless the amount of things you can see. Have cash on hand and bring at least one friend to share all the food dishes with. See all the state buildings inside and most have things going on in the back, check out the church, school house and sometimes there's a wood carver or artists near by. The next big thing -- Food! Be picky about what you get and look around before trying some things. One pet peeve is fried dough sitting under a hot lamp. I want it fresh as I can see it being made and given out. If you stay until 5 there is the daily parade. I like to leave between 5-7pm to avoid traffic and if it's during the school week some towns give out vouchers to go after school. I love kids but not when most of them in groups overcrowding and not being watched. Oh don't forget- sneakers and fat pants. read more

This is my favorite fair to go to during the year. Excellent food, Excellent Concerts and lots of opportunities to find great items you might not see anywhere else. read more

The leaves are turning, the air is crisp and the smell of burning leaves lingers in the air. Soon, carved pumpkins will be gracing doorsteps, lights will be strung along porch rails, families will be reuniting and the holidays will descend upon us. But in the interim...about 1 1/2 hours outside of Boston...the largest fair in New England is underway... THE BIG E!!! For almost one month (mid-September through early October) this country-fair-on-steroids offers a mind-boggling array of eats, sweets, events, rides, and as-seen-on-TV gadgets that one person can handle. Every year since I was 7, I've gone to the Big E with my family and we literally eat our way from one end to the other. I've made some mistakes...and I will impart these, as well as some don't-miss opportunities for you below... 1) If you plan to eat, eat, eat...I highly suggest that you do so BEFORE you head to the Midway for some rides and gaming. At all costs, avoid what I affectionately call the "Vomitorium" - you know...that ride that seems like a good idea at the time? The one where you go inside, stand against a wall and the thing just whirls like a heavy-load washer on the spin cycle? You will, I repeat, will get ralphed on (or ralph on yourself). 2) While in the Midway, stop in and see "The Biggest Snake in the World!!!" and "The Biggest Pig in the World!!!" I highly doubt these claims are true, but I can say from experience, that the hog is effing huge. 3) At one far end of the fairgrounds - there are replicas of each of the New England Statehouses. If you don't know which states comprise New England - we can't be friends - but let me take the pains to enlighten you. Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. No. Don't argue with me. I'm right. Anyway - these replicas are amazing - Massachusetts replica is of the OLD statehouse - still glorious. In each statehouse, chosen vendors sell items specific to that state. For instance, in the Vermont house...you can get maple syrup, Vermont Flannel Company stuff, Ben and Jerry's and sooo much more. In Maine, try the blueberry cobbler, the lobster roll, or get a moose sweatshirt. You can browse for hours, but beware, the fanny-pack toting, visor wearing Grandmas are itchin' to get past you and they won't stop for nothin'. 4) If you're like me and my Dad, part of the appeal of The Big E are the GADGETS. Waltz on into one of the two huge buildings designed to house a bajillion and one vendors and let the fun begin. You want that steam mop?? There is a dude in one corner showing you how it works. Yep - he's wearing the big mic over one ear and yelling at you to come watch. You want "The Gratey" for all your cheeses and to make cheap ice cream toppings - there it is! How about everybodies favorite...SHAM-WOW!!! For $20.00 you get three regular size sham-wows plus two special kitchen sham-wows for your pots and pans!!! It is gadget overload at the Big E - and believe me, you can get sucked in so fast and spend so much money! 5) Finally, the FOOD. Fair lovers rejoice - you can get every fair food imaginable at The Big E and more. There are two main avenues that wind through the fair ground that offer nothin' but eats. Corn dogs, chili cheese fries, sausage, pepper and onions, fried whole belly clams, philly cheesesteaks, baked potatoes of every variety, candy apples, slushies, fried snickers (fried anything for that matter), stuffed mushrooms, cotton candy, fried dough and MORE. ...hold on...I need a couple Tums just thinking about it. Also not to be missed - you can see horse shows, border collie sheep herding shows - watch the blue ribbon prizes being given out for the biggest pumpkins and the best pies. Also, take a gander at the beautiful Clydesdales as well. All I can say is pack up the mini-van and bring the kids, or bring the significant other to enjoy a day at the fair. read more

The Big E - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - West Springfield, Massachusetts

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Love going to The Big E. Disappointed with the RI house though. So much more from RI that could have been showcased but loved it anyway. Also, the announcer for the little pig races included political satire which should not have been used with little impressionable children there. read more

The have deep fried butter?!?! fried butter??? I thought you fry stuff in butter? Oh yeah, it's a huge state fair. Fried foods, rides, animals, concerts... a lot of fun. Just don't go in the morning. That was one enormous line. read more

The Big E is a great way to spend the day with family and friends. Our five year old daughter had a blast. We enjoyed the state houses and the animals. She loved the pony ride, the parade and the carnival rides. We left CT after 12:00 and didn't hit any traffic going up. We also parked a half mile away and paid $5 for parking. We love the baked potato and whoopie pies, both from the Maine house. We also loved the chocolate eclair. It is by far superior to the cream puff. Pace yourself and plan your eating accordingly so that you don't get too stuffed before you get through the fair!!! read more

The Big E - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - West Springfield, Massachusetts

Tons of food, tons of activities, tons of animals, and great concerts for very cheap!!! My husband and I came on last day to see the Blake Shelton concert and we were able to walk around, ride some rides, eat great food, and have an awesome day out! Beware of all the drunkards however! The place is obviously always crowded and even though I saw a bunch of small children there, I do not think it is the most appropriate place in the world for a child under 10! read more

If you like fairs, you should go at least once to see what it is all about. I never heard of it until I went to college in that area. In college I went during the week and it was really fun. Not a lot of crowds, cheaper admission on weeknights, parking isnt as crazy etc. When I graduated and moved back to the Boston area I came on the weekend, and it is a whole different atmosphere. Tons of people, a lot of traffic, and a parking nightmare. So, if you get anyhting from this review, go during the week, it is worth it to take a day off. It can be done from the Boston area as a day trip. The fair itself is the same as any other fall fair, animals, fried foods, rides, craft vendors, etc. I do like the state buildings which gives you a glimpse of each new england state and what they are famous for. The International building is filled with infomercial like booths trying to sell you shamwows, pancake pans and beds. ...who buys a bed at a fair? It is worth the trip just once, make sure the weather is nice. read more

London broiled steak was so so, the fried dough and clam chowder in the mass house was amazing !!!!!!! Come with alot of money !! read more

The Big E - Steak an cheese - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - West Springfield, Massachusetts

The opportunity to try outrageous fried food doesn't come around everyday so I suggest you forget how to count calories and indulge fully. Fried samoas are definitely ranked #1 at this fair. The cookies are amazing on their own, but when you fry them and get everything melted and merged to perfection its poetry. Fried koolaid is another winner that of course where else are you going to get that!? There were some wild game meals available to such as rattlesnake, bison, alligator, etc. Went with the alligator burger, but wasn't a fan of the taste. Some interesting attractions as well, but mostly in my opinion for the kids. I'm not really there to pay to see a small horse. Give me food and beer!!!!! All considered, not a bad family outing. read more

I look fwd to every September simply for the Big E! The Maine baked potato, Vermont homemade ice cream... steak sandwhiches, gyros, fried oreos... cream puffs, eclairs... yum, yum, yumm-o!!! No matter what, I get that baked potato, line or not! It's the reason I travel from Boston!!! I missed the fair last year and my life was just not the same!!! Can't wait to see you my friends!!! read more

We usually go to the Big E every few years. Traffic wasn't to bad this year as it was overcast in the morning. Food highlights: baked potato behind the CT State building was yummy $5.50. Husband tried a chocolate covered bacon strip in his never ending bacon quest. Sampled the maple bacon ice cream at the CT building but deemed it "not bacony " enough. He settled for some maple bacon taffy. Apple cider donuts in the Vermont building were good and a bargain at .75 each. We also brought home an apple cinnamon roll the size of my head from the bakery in the Young building. Overall we had a good time walking around and people watching. My only complaint would be the huge number of SUV sized strollers we had to dodge. It just got rather excessive navigating around the trollies of dollies in the busy state buildings. read more

It's the Big E peeps. We go for the smoked turkey leg and I like to get the blueberry pie. The beer is great too because we always go on a beautiful warm day. It's something fun to do. read more

Insane traffic getting to the parking lots at this place. Never in my life have I seen so many homeowners sitting outside their houses with signs that say "$10/$20" to let you park in their driveway. Seemed a bit trashy but I suppose it's just something you would NEVER see in New York. $15 to get in. Seemed a bit steep since it doesn't get you anything but entry. The food vendors are duplicated throughout the entire place- nothing special. I had a steak sandwich for $9 (meh, skip it), chili cheese fries (also meh, skip), chicharones (had for the first time ever and they're essentially fried pork and fat) which were possibly the grossest thing I've ever eaten (seriously, I had to spit it out), as well as some fried oreos which were obviously amazing. Most beer was around $6 and margaritas were $10 which had two shots in each. The ONLY thing worth it at this place were the buildings way in the back that each had a different state theme. Hit up this spot first for all the good food. I made the mistake of wandering around first which got me exhausted and had me eating a bunch of gross food. State buildings are the only reason this place got more than one star. read more

You can find anything under the sun here. Bring your appetite and be paired to do a lot of walking as the fair grounds are large. The fair runs for 17 days and is the largest in New England. read more

The Big E is a very fun, low key tradition but I have to warn first-timers NOT TO GO ON A WEEKEND! If you can possibly go during the week instead, your experience will be much better. On a Saturday or Sunday, the state buildings are so packed it's hard to move let alone see. On a Friday, even, you will be able to get to all the food items you came to eat! For example: Maine baked potato (don't let the line scare you, it moves) Buffalo burgers creme puffs (disgusting, but other people love them) Apple pie with ice cream fried quahogs in the RI building a chocolate "shake" at the dairy barn (now outside near the Xmas trees). And while you're there you can see llamas, sheep, horses and cows. Spend some time in the arena watching horse jumping and competitions. Farmarama has neat displays, and the NE Center usually has a new exhibit. It's not all about farms- there are plenty of vendors hawking their wares, and the Midway has all your rides for kids and adults. In addition, there are free concerts nightly, with (semi) big name performing artists. Lots of people just come in the evenings for the shows. read more

The ladies in my family make it a point to go to opening day every year-been doing it for about ten years now. It never disappoints. We eat too much, drink too much and spend too much but we wouldn't have it any other way. Games are rigged though, even the skee ball-don't waste your $. Past few years we've stayed at La Quinta down the street and have taken a cab. Very convenient. Oh and I'd never go on a Saturday or Sunday, sooo crowded, unless it's raining. Still plenty to do in the rain. read more

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Definitely a great time with family or friends. Plan on spending the whole day their if you want to see everything though. The only cons are the crowds and a few stands are crooks and charge an arm and a leg. Other than that it is a very fun, interesting and tasty day. read more

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Always a good time. Spent two days this year and still didn't have time to do any of the midway, some of the animal shows any any of the craft area or live shows... So much to do there and it's all very entertaining. People compare it to deerfield or other big NE fairs, but The Big E is the only one I've been to. I did invest in some great items this year like the super sticky roller, steam mom and instant heat pack. :) Thought Mr. wool pig is my absolute favorite. On a side note. When I went for the first time in '06 I bought one of those custom fit toe rings from the ladies by the Grange building. It's still going strong to this day and I still haven't taken it off. They have some surprisingly good products there at very reasonable prices. Go, it's fun. read more

I try to go to the big E once a year with my family or friends. Well tonight I went with my boyfriend and his family. *What's great about it is on the weekdays they are only $6 dollars entry after 5 pm.* We got our usuals...the baked potato, gyro, turkey leg, fried dough, and smoked salmon. The turkey was deff on the salty side and mildly burnt all over so it wasn't as tasty as it used to be. Everything else was fine. Problem was the horse sh*t that was left on the floor and no one bothered to pick it up the rest of the night. I can see all the footprints that were left from other people, it was gross and it smelt awful! I went to go see some animals and one of the goats nose was bleeding! I tried to warn the people that worked there and was in charge of the animals but they didn't do anything. THE BIGGEST THING THAT THE BIG E WORKERS NEED TO DO IS TO STOP GIVING OUT ANIMAL RIDES. It's awful to see them tied up to a pole waiting for customers to come and ride them. You can tell how depressed they look. They are just staring at the ground with their bodies tied p against a pole. Terrible. It was such an awful thing to see. read more

It was our first visit to the fair this year, and wow! It was an amazing day! The shows were varied and entertaining. I enjoyed all the displays we saw. We tried a "Big E" -clair, and it was super! The cream puffs looked amazing as well. We had our first piece of chocolate bacon in the Connecticut building. That was another FIRST! There was so much to do, and I could easily go back again during the same year's fair season. read more

I've been going to the Big E almost every year since 2007. It's become a tradition with three of my girlfriends because it gives us the chance to have innocent fun, indulge in fatty foods and drink lots of beer! Our ritual, Jack O Traveler's pumpkin beer with cinnamon sugar on the rim, then grab a baked potato from Billy's, check out some animals or get swayed into buying some magical products from convincing vendors, repeat, then hop on the Mardi Gras float (must buy separate tickets for this in advance). It's an amazing time every year. Great for families, couples or friends. read more

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We came for the horses and we got 'em. Not the cheapest of all weekend adventures. What it lacks in value, they make up in charm. Clean, nicely laid out, and a lot of fun! Take out cash before you get here unless you want to be cursed by a carny. The onsite ATM hits you $3, so stop at your own first. read more

Always a fun time, we go early because traffic can get very heavy and can take a hour or more to get through traffic. The state building are nice to visit. The food is always great like the Mac and cheese, the clam chowder, lobster rolls and the loaded baked potatoes in the Maine building. The lines for the food can be long but well worth it. The cream puffs and eclairs are excellent. Many vendors from leather belts and cowboy hats to Irish items. Rides for the kids and other things for them to do. read more

Lots of traffic. You might want to research some alternate routes. The Mardi Gras parade was cool, but the beignets (New Orleans-style donuts) were disappointing. Walking around the state houses was great, but very crowded. No fried butter this year, but plenty of other interesting fried food. The circus museum is a great little museum. read more

I have not been to the Big E since I was a little kid. My grandfather loves fairs so I flew home to take him to the Big E, I was sorely disappointed. When I was a kid I remember it being fun, and if you are little I would assume the rides and junk food do have that glorious fun appeal. Overall I found it to be a large overpriced, infomercial racket. For me the best part is the state buildings and honestly i wish they had more things in each state, more places to sit, and a the very least a small amount of air conditioning or fans. The lines inside these buildings are outrageous and if you do get food you have to stand to eat it. We sat down under a tent to have a beer and watch music, sadly to the artist the music was so terribly bad we left. With an older grandfather who still wants to walk around, but needs rest occasionally I think they need a bit more benches, and some cooler buildings so people who need reprieve from the heat can get it. By the way, the Maine potato was a huge disappointment, they use fake cheese and bacon bits( yes from the artificial jar that you shake from like dog treats) and why do they only have cold lobster rolls?! The one positive several craft beer places were serving so at least you could get a decent beer. read more

Man what can I say... the Big E is definitely a family friendly place where you and everyone can enjoy the rides games and foods, my recommendation is if your planning on visiting come during the weekday it's cheaper and way less of a crowd. read more

Great family tradition every year. Low fee after a certain time. Tons of rides for the kids as well as many local business to shop from.