Welcome to my second post about The Big E, past memories of the fair, and what I love about it. If you're just tuning in, you can read the introduction post here.
One good reason to enjoy The Big E is all the cool stuff for sale: everything from hot tubs to wine to shoe-cleaning kits to grandfather clocks, shoes, cosmetics, luggage, jewelry, beef jerky, saunas, candles, clothing, steam mops, toys, chainsaw carvings, personalized items, cowboy hats, every kitchen gadget you can imagine, and a zillion other things.
There truly is something for everybody at the Big E, and opportunities to shop are literally all throughout the fair grounds. There are the two huge exhibition halls, a crafts common, and vendors up and down every road. The individual state buildings have wares for sale as well.
One of my favorite areas to browse and/or shop is the Craft Commons. As the name suggests, the vendors there tend to sell things that have a seasonal, more hand-crafted aesthetic, although there are certainly more things like that to be found elsewhere on the grounds, too.
Three of my favorite vendors there have all retired in the past few years, sadly. The above spot, a jewelry vendor that my BFF & I visited so religiously that the lady who owned it recognized us every year. My other two favorite spots sold Halloween primitive-style decor. I'm glad I was able to purchase some of their things in the past, and I'm glad I took some photos so I have the memories of being there. I wish I could have collected more of these beautiful objects.
I just learned that The Big E's website now lists a marketplace page where you can shop online from quite a few of their yearly vendors - I'm pretty excited to check it out. It won't feel quite the same of course, but it will help ensure that the vendors I love most will survive the financial hardship of missing out in 2020's fair.
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