Curated event
The Big E 2027: September 17 to October 3 in West Springfield
The Big E, New England's fair in West Springfield, returns from September 17 to October 3, 2027, according to the organiser. The 2026 fair ended on October 4. Plan for the six New England state buildings, livestock shows and midway, with Springfield or the Pioneer Valley as your base.
- Dates: September 17 – October 3, 2027
- Venue: Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds, West Springfield
- Organised by: Eastern States Exposition
- Admission: Ticketed
- Checked: October 15, 2026
The confirmed 2027 dates are September 17 to October 3. Choose a weekday for quieter state buildings and food stops, or a weekend if you accept larger crowds and traffic on Memorial Avenue. Base in Springfield or the Pioneer Valley rather than treating the fair as a Boston day trip; check the organiser's current programme before booking.
The Big E official site · The organiser publishes each fair's dates, hours and admission on its own site; parking and rides are separate.
The event
The Big E is the region-wide fair of the six New England states, first held in 1916 and staged each September on the Eastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield. The organiser lists September 17 to October 3 for the 2027 fair. The completed 2026 edition remains recorded below.
The Avenue of States, with a building for each New England state selling its own food and crafts, is the reason to come; the livestock shows, the daily parade and the midway fill the rest of the day.
Planning the day
Weekdays are calmer for the state buildings and the food lines; weekends bring the crowds, the parade and slow traffic on Memorial Avenue and the bridges into West Springfield. Arrive early on any day and expect to walk for hours on a large site.
The fair sits across the Connecticut River from Springfield, so a Springfield base makes the fair a short hop and keeps the museums and the basketball hall of fame for the evening or the next morning.
Good to know
- The organiser has confirmed the 2027 dates. Check its current admission, daily hours and programme before buying tickets or booking a room; the date announcement does not confirm every 2027 activity or price.
- Pioneer Valley and Springfield hotels fill on Big E weekends; book early or choose a weekday.
- Late September weather swings from summer heat to autumn cold within the fair's run; dress in layers.
Where to stay for the Big E
Springfield and the wider Pioneer Valley are the bases that keep the fair close. These guides compare the valley's towns and campus stays.
- A Springfield museums, basketball and campus weekendThe Springfield base with the fair a river crossing away.
- A Pioneer Valley campus weekendAmherst and Northampton as the valley base.
- Where to stay in AmherstAmherst rooms for a valley trip.
Make a day of it
Past editions
- 2026 · September 18 – October 4, 2026Seventeen days, Friday to Sunday, on the West Springfield fairgrounds.
Sources and transparency:The Big E: official organiser and West Springfield venue (checked 2026-10-15)The Big E: official general information (September 17–October 3, 2027 dates and venue) (checked 2026-10-15)Not a paid listing.Editorial policyFull agenda