Scenes from the Big E: A fair filled with food, animals, music – and heart

Connecticut Public Radio | By Jessica Severin de Martinez,

Published September 24, 2025 at 11:16 AM EDT

Mackenzie Coburn, the Sales Innovation Manager at Eastern States Exposition, smooths out a Big E promotional decal in front of the fair’s Connecticut hall while printer John Barrow uses his foot. In replying to a question about knowing people were walking on his art, Barrows said, “That's the type of material it's made for. It's got a foil backing to it, and it's, it's a little pebbly, so people can't trip unless they're left footed, like I am.” — Mackenzie Coburn, the sales innovation manager at Eastern States Exposition, smooths out a Big E promotional decal in front of the fair’s Connecticut hall while printer John Barrows uses his foot. In replying to a question about knowing people were walking on his art, Barrows said: “That's the type of material it's made for. It's got a foil backing to it, and it's a little pebbly, so people can't trip unless they're left-footed, like I am.”

In front of the Connecticut Building at the Eastern States Exposition, John Barrows and Mackenzie Coburn crouched over the pavement, smoothing out a vivid pink decal. It’s round with bright yellow and white letters in the middle and says: “The Big E.”

“This is actually a first time for us with this material,” Barrows said.

But he’s no stranger to testing things first. Back in his workshop, every detail is tried out before it makes its way to the fairgrounds. At the Big E, not much is left to chance.

The Big E, the largest fair in the Northeast, attracts about 1.5 million people each year to the fairgrounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

More than 95% of visitors are returning patrons, with Connecticut accounting for almost 45% of the crowds.

Eugene Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition, lit up when he described the impact the Big E has on the region.

“This is the greatest amalgamation of the American way of life,” he said. “You will never find more diversity of people who want to be in each other’s company, and I love the fact that we can present that.”

Gene Cassidy, President and Chief Executive Officer at Eastern States Exposition, stands in a conference room on the grounds of The Big E. “By 1923 the newspaper men who were setting type in those days were burdened by the length of the name of the organization. And so they lobbied Mr. Brooks, whose portrait hangs behind us here, they lobbied Mr. Brooks to change the name because it was too difficult to write the Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition every time they were crafting an article. So they shortened it to the Eastern States Exposition, and a lot of things happened in between. But then fast forward to 1969 they complained again, and we came up with the Big E.” — Gene Cassidy, president and chief executive officer at Eastern States Exposition, stands in a conference room on the grounds of the Big E. “By 1923, the newspaper men who were setting type in those days were burdened by the length of the name of the organization. And so they lobbied Mr. Brooks, whose portrait hangs behind us here, they lobbied Mr. Brooks to change the name because it was too difficult to write the Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition every time they were crafting an article. So they shortened it to the Eastern States Exposition, and a lot of things happened in between. But then fast forward to 1969 they complained again, and we came up with the Big E.”

A team of Connecticut Public journalists walked almost four miles across the fairgrounds on Connecticut Day, speaking with dozens of vendors, staff, exhibitors and guests to learn more about what the fair means to them.

‘Just love the feeling’

At Cyndy’s Bears, customers have been coming by for decades to have teddy bears and plush bunnies embroidered with their names.

The work starts long before the fair opens. It takes a crew of six up to 10 days to set up the tent, starting with laying down mats as flooring and installing the racks. The racks are filled with teddy bears, bunnies, and other personalized products, like flashlights, hats, aprons, and pet accessories. Even uncommon names can be embroidered on a stuffed bunny's dress within 10 minutes.

Outfitting your bear or bunny with underwear is an extra $5.

Mary Naughton, now 80, founded the business and has passed it on to her daughter, Cyndy Penner.

Bears are hung for display at Cindy’s Bears, a Big E vendor selling stuffed bears and bunnies with personalized names. Originally named Mary’s Bears when it was started by Mary Naughton, its ownership has been transferred to Mary’s daughter Cindy Penner. The shop, according to 80-year-old Naughton, was started when she was at a flea market as a single mother looking for ways to make additional income. She became “fascinated” with an embroidery machine which then grew into the idea to create custom named bears figuring the bears would be good for two or three years of business at craft shows, “30 years later,” she said, “It’s still stronger than ever. Teddy bears are made for love and now I have mothers coming back and saying, I had a teddy bear when I was a baby. I'm buying one for my son or my daughter.” — Bears are on display at Cyndy’s Bears, a Big E vendor selling stuffed bears and bunnies with personalized names. Mary Naughton, 80, started the shop when she was at a flea market as a single mother looking for ways to make additional income. She became fascinated with an embroidery machine, which grew into the idea to create custom-named bears, figuring the bears would be good for two or three years of business at craft shows. “Thirty years later, it’s still stronger than ever," she said. "Teddy bears are made for love and now I have mothers coming back and saying, 'I had a teddy bear when I was a baby. I'm buying one for my son or my daughter.'”

“It's scary. It's tricky. She has high expectations, very organized and diligent,” Penner said with a laugh.

But it’s work they both love.

“I just love the feeling!” Penner said. “You do not expect to feel the excitement and joyfulness when the kid gets her name on a bear and she comes up and she's hugging that bear, and some of them even cry. They’ve never seen their name before.”

Across the fairgrounds, Andrea Anderson and Sabrina Gagnon of Hobby Knoll Stable rode their pick-up truck with a very special mission: To find and scoop up manure that their Clydesdale horses left on the ground. They brought eight of their 11 horses from their stables in Duxbury, Massachusetts, to the Big E. Cleaning up after them is part of the job.

“There's definitely a fling to the wrist to get the manure in the shovel," Anderson said. "The first time it does take a little bit of skill. For sure, it is an art.”

Sabrina Gagnon from Hobby Knoll Stables in Duxbury, Massachusetts, cleans up a Big E street after Clydesdale horses from Hobby Knoll walked through. Andrea Anderson of Hobby Knoll Stable, who joked with Chion Wolf about being the “pooper-visor” said, “There's definitely a fling to the wrist to get the manure in the shovel. The first time it does take a little bit of skill. For sure, it is an art.” — Sabrina Gagnon from Hobby Knoll Stable in Duxbury, Massachusetts, cleans up a Big E street after Clydesdale horses walked through. Andrea Anderson of Hobby Knoll Stable said: “There's definitely a fling to the wrist to get the manure in the shovel. The first time it does take a little bit of skill. For sure, it is an art.”

What happens when they’re not at the fair?

“We do a lot of weddings. We do hay rides. We do a lot of stuff on the farm,” Anderson said.

Melissa Russell from Bristol, Connecticut, was at the fair with her family. She’s a third-generation fife player and has been playing for nearly 40 years. On Connecticut Day at the fair, she was wearing her uniform to showcase the music’s history with her fife and drum corps.

Stopping for a cream puff is a non-negotiable for the Russells.

What’s her favorite part of the fair?

Russell looked at her 4-year-old twins and beamed:

“Honestly, it's watching these kids take it in.”

Fife player Melissa Russell walks with her family to meet “A bunch of fife and drum corps people from around the state, around the area, and we come to represent the history of music.” Russell, from Bristol, Ct., said she is the third generation of her family” to be in a fife and drum corps. — Fife player Melissa Russell walks with her family at the Big E to meet “a bunch of fife and drum corps people." "We come to represent the history of music," she said. Russell, from Bristol, Connecticut, said she is the third generation of her family to be in a fife and drum corps.

‘Rewarding to see things come to life’

Joseph Haag is far from his home in Plymouth, Wisconsin, but visits the Big E and other fairs to sell cookie dough on a stick to hungry fairgoers. (This year's new flavor is salted caramel.)

His stand, Kora & Mila's Cookie Dough, is named after his daughters.

Haag’s wife started the business almost two decades ago with her grandmother’s recipes.

He visits more than 20 events a year, mainly in the Midwest. His next stop will be the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh.

“We start going really hard in June,” he said.

The hardest part, he said, is the time away from family. Still, he’s grateful his daughters “see how hard mommy and daddy work for them.”

Joseph Haag of Kora & Mila's Cookie Dough stands in front of his business at the Big E. Reflecting on how it all started 18 years ago, he said: "This was my wife's high school business plan. So my mother-in-law used to sell cookies at the horse barn in Chicago. My wife took that recipe and wanted to turn it into a mobile business."

The Big E is synonymous with agriculture, crafts and food, but it’s the workers and visitors coming from near and far who make the expo what it is.

Reflecting on his staff, Cassidy said: “These people are so incredibly committed to the mission that they work unbelievable hours."

For Mackenzie Coburn, sales manager at Eastern States Exposition, the payoff is clear when the fair finally opens its gates.

“It's rewarding to see things come to life here,” she said. “It's like all the hard work you put in all year round, these 17 days make it worth it.”

Learn more

The Big E runs Sept 12-28. For more sights and sounds from the fair, listen to Audacious with Chion Wolf on Oct. 4.