THE BIG E RECOGNIZED AS THE FOURTH LARGEST FAIR IN NORTH AMERICA
On December 16, Carnival Warehouse, the fair industry’s most comprehensive news source for carnivals and events, released its annual ranking of the Top 50 Fairs in North America based on attendance numbers. After a record-setting year, The Big E of West Springfield, Mass. soared to fourth place.
2024, The Big E welcomed an unprecedented 1,633,935 fairgoers to the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) complex. Throughout the 17-day Fair, seven daily attendance records were set, and Saturday, September 21, proved a record for single-day attendance.
North American Midway Entertainment (NAME), The Big E’s carnival provider, retained its position as the No. 1 Midway operator in the same study. NAME operates at 11 of the events on the Top 50 Fairs list.
NAME’s history with ESE dates back to 1979 when Conklin Shows was granted the contract to The Big E. Conklin later united with four other major midway operators to create NAME, an international company with corporate headquarters based in Farmland, Indiana. NAME’s reign at The Big E first began two decades ago, in 2005.
Since its inception, NAME has provided rides, games and food to fairs and festivals in about 140 communities and 20 states, as well as four Canadian provinces. They boast more than 200 rides and fair classic food concessions that allow clients to remain novel and competitive.
The Big E is a shining example of ESE’s efforts to connect the larger public with agricultural producers through 17 fun-filled days each September. The Fair’s legacy spans more than 115 years, and its growing size and international recognition are a testament to its success. As the agricultural buildings remain at the center of the complex, the impact of the individual farmer remains at the heart of ESE’s mission, no matter its reach.