WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (The Big E) – This year’s Fair has it all: great entertainment, vintage cars, and chocolate covered fries with bacon sprinkles! Walk around and take a big bite of a variety of sweet and salty mouthwatering pleasures or sit down and chow down in one of our brand new restaurants. Take a stroll down the Avenue of States to try a specialty dish unique to each state or go big and try something new to this year’s Fair. Save room for dessert and satisfy your sweet tooth with a Big E Cream Puff or Éclair. Picky eaters and foodies alike will all get their fill of incredible fair food; The Big E has the best selection of fair cuisine on the East Coast.
Don’t know where to start? Download our Big E App and check out the hours of operation and locations of your favorite restaurants and concession stands. Plan a schedule to make the most of your special day and grab yourself some goodies on the way!
New Restaurants
Wurst Haus, by the Student Prince – Experience a taste of Germany at The Big E. Fried Camembert, huge Bavarian pretzels, Munich corn dogs, and the “German Giant,” an 18 inch brat on a bun, are just a sampling of the authentic menu offered at the Wurst Haus. Celebrate the 100th birthday of The Big E, German-style, and raise your giant “boot” of beer to the beat of Oom-pah music and festive cheer.
The Deep South Food Company – Take a seat in the Southern-styled dining area and get ready for a home cooked meal to remember. Start off your comfort food cuisine by sharing some fried green tomatoes or country dry rubbed chicken wings and chunky blue cheese sauce with your family or friends. Then, make the choice of either fried oysters, chicken, shrimp, or catfish on a “Wo Dat” Po Boy sandwich served on a French baguette roll with spicy Remoulade sauce, shredded lettuce and tomato served with signature Smokehouse fries. Enjoy a Southern-inspired cocktail including Alabama Rum Punch, Smokin’ Hot Bloody Mary or a Blueberry Mint Julep – to name a few.
Big Eats
In celebration of The Big E’s Centennial, the Fair will be holding its first annual Big Eats competition! The contest categories are Best Taste, Most Creative, Best New and Best Salute to 100 years. Fairgoers get the chance to be a part of the action! The last category is Fairgoer Favorite and during the Fair, participating fairgoers try the top ten foods and vote for their favorite on Facebook. On the last day of the Fair, the Fairgoer Favorite will be awarded a trophy alongside the other category winners. For more info on how to be a part of this momentous occasion, check out TheBigE.com or download our app!
2016 New Foods
This year, take the meat lovers in your life over to Porky’s Concessions, where they can start the day off right with a Maple Waffle Breakfast Sandwich that crams together two farm eggs, aged cheddar cheese, and crisp maple bacon all packed between a golden maple waffle, or have them sink their teeth into a slow-cooked, tender BBQ Brisket Sandwich that is sure to hit the spot. What’s a taco without beef …and fried dough! Try Anna’s Fried Dough’s newest addition, a Navajo Taco that has all the fixin’s folded in fried dough. The Ultimate BBQ’s Ultimate Cowboy Nachos will satisfy the munchies with your choice of either pulled pork or chicken slow cooked in special BBQ sauce amid shredded lettuce, sour cream, and of course, a bed of crunchy tortilla chips.
It’s hard to leave the Fair without taking a huge bite into something sweet. Watch out for these Big E treats that are too tempting to resist. Dig into a Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae or a Brownie Sundae from Omar’s Coffee in the Better Living Center. Looking for something a little less conventional? Head over to Moolicious and order the most enticing rendition of a Blueberry Pierogi Sundae. It’s The Big E’s birthday bash and to celebrate, Rondeau’s Ice Cream and Veggie Patch are each introducing special surprise centennial flavors.
Just when you thought a wedged potato fried to perfection and dipped in ketchup couldn’t get any better, the Fair one-upped their game and brought you these satisfying snacks! Chocolate and bacon is a match made in heaven; enter the crispy, golden French fry to blow your mind! KB Foods brings to the stage a whole new outlook on the fry with Chocolate & Bacon covered fries. For those who don’t eat bacon, don’t fret! Order the Chocolate covered fries and be just as impressed! F&W Caterers isn’t a small fry by any means–their funnel cake fries are sure to be a crowd pleasing favorite! If you’re looking for something a little more sweet, check out Tracy’s Idaho Taqueria’s Sweet Potato Dessert Fries.
More new foods:
Mint and Peanut Butter Soft Serve Ice Cream – Amy’s Sweet Treats
Slushies in a variety of flavors – Burgundy Brook Café
Roast Beef Sandwich on a Kimmelweck Roll – Jim’s Concessions
New Locations
Spencer Trappist Brewery Experience – Brewed by the Trappist monks of St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Mass., this ale is fondly dubbed, Feierabendbier, which means “after work beer” or “well deserved beer.”
Step into the refectory, a re-created Abbey dining hall, talk with the monks about the brewing process and sample some of their offerings. Trappist Ale is a dense, creamy Belgian beer with bubbles that rise to the top and froth with each pour. In the Young Builidng.
V-One Craft Cocktail Bar – New Location! V-One Craft Cocktail bar can now be found in a new location in the Young Building. Expect craft and dessert cocktails like the Chocolate Highness or the Rosemary Chiller. For even more distinctive Big E desserts, take a bite out of the V-One Deep Fried Martini!
Granville Country Store – New Location! Previously located in the Massachusetts Building on the Avenue of States, the Granville Country Store has moved to the Better Living Center serving their much longed for Mac & Cheese and Grilled Cheese.
Beloved Fairtime Favorites
No one can resist coming to The Big E without sinking their teeth into a massive Big E Cream Puff. Early morning and late night Cream Puff cravers can visit our take-out window.The Big Éclair smothered with a layer of smooth chocolate is another crowd pleaser, handmade every day of the Fair and crafted just as rich in flavor. Both desserts are made fresh on location at The Big E Cream Puff Bakery in the New England Center, but can also be found in the Food Court.
If someone brings up The Big E, chances are the Craz-E Burger is soon to follow! The Fair’s signature sandwich made its debut in 2009 and has been a major hit every year since. Make sure there’s room in your stomach for a mouthwatering bacon cheeseburger sandwiched between two halves of a grilled glazed donut.
Local Fare – In the Food Court
Our food vendors travel from far and wide to serve The Big E fairgoers the best the nation has to offer; but some the very best could come out of our own backyard. West Side’s very own burger joint, the White Hut, can be found at the Fair selling their famous burgers and hot dogs topped with incredible fried onions. Just across the way is Agawam’s E.B.’s, bringing their famous chicken wings, chicken fingers and deep fried Shepherd’s Pie to our fairgoers. Hofbrau Joe’s German Steak Haus in West Springfield offers fresh and fried seafood at Hofbrau Joe’s Clam Box and German specialties abound at the Hofbrauhaus Oktoberfest Biergarten in the Food Court.
Veggies and More
Fairgoers can choose from a variety of salads from Salad Boys, fruits, sandwiches, lean meats and more. Try one of Billie’s Baked Potatoes loaded with vegetables, savor one of Millie’s potato pierogis or even relish a chicken gyro! Wash it all down with a healthy fruit smoothie. If you are looking for a snack for your mid-afternoon munchies, grab an apple from the 4-H Apple Booth in Farm-A-Rama or a bag of heart-healthy nuts from the Nut Lady in Storrowton.
Gluten-Free Options
There are a number of Gluten Free options available at various vendors throughout the grounds. Grab dinner at Billie’s Baked Potatoes on New England Ave. or Commonwealth Ave.; Crowsnest Mexican Food on New England Ave.; Pickle Barrel Sirloin Tips on West Road or the Pork Place on Commonwealth Ave.; and follow it up with dessert at the Cinnamon Saloon on Hampden Ave. or Moolicious on Springfield Road. Gluten-free snacks can be found at various locations such as Kettle Korn Express in Storrowton Village. Check out The Big E app for a complete list of locations and their offerings.
Favorite Restaurants
Storrowton Tavern – If you need to take a break from the Fair action, relax and enjoy a delicious, sit-down meal and glass of wine, or head straight to the buffet.
Heroes and Legends Café – Grab a booth and chow down on some all-American grub.
New England Craft Beer Pub – Located across from the Rhode Island Building, this sit-down dining facility features craft beers from each New England state with suggested menu pairings like Reubens, lobster mac ’n cheese, hearty beef stew, popovers or a Fair favorite, Beer-Amisu!
Sam Adams Brew Garden – If a drink is what you’re yearning for, get a beer sampler here, while you dine on healthy salads, pub food, and other offerings, sponsored by the Boston Beer Company, in Storrowton Village.
The Big E Wine & Cheese Barn
There is no better combination than a glass of tantalizing wine and a slice of prize winning cheese. Award-winning wines from The Big E Northeast Gold Wine Competition and cheeses from The Big E Gold Medal Cheese Competition are available for sampling and purchase. New this year: ciders!
The 2016 Big E takes place Sept. 16 – Oct. 2 in West Springfield, Mass. For more details about the Fair, visit TheBigE.com, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook for more exciting news and upcoming events.