September 24, 2020 | Montpelier, VT - The Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM), together with the Department of Tourism & Marketing (VDTM), announces the launch of the “Virtual Vermont Building”. The virtual site opened to the public on Friday, September 18 and runs through Sunday, October 4. This virtual event features 24 Vermont businesses, showcasing food, beverages, art, gifts, and apparel. This Saturday is traditionally ‘Vermont Day’ at The Big E, and the agencies encourage all to check out the promotional opportunities available in the Virtual Vermont Building.
For 17 days each September, the Vermont Building at the Big E in West Springfield, MA, fills with hundreds of thousands of fairgoers. Dozens of Vermont businesses line the historic Vermont Building, which can be found nestled at the center of the Avenue of the States on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA. This year brings a different story for these businesses. With the Big E cancelled for the first time since World War II because of the coronavirus pandemic, participating businesses have lost a significant source of revenue. This event brought in almost $2 million in sales to Vermont businesses in 2019 alone. With 1.6 million attendees in 2019, the commitment to this event is no small undertaking for these businesses each year. Please check out this video highlighting the important impact of the Big E and the Vermont Building.
“While we cannot gather at the Big E this year we can have a taste of Vermont by supporting these businesses,” said Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts. “Take a tour on the computer and have a slice of Vermont deliciousness delivered to your home.”
Vendors are featured on the Virtual Vermont Building webpage, https://vermontvacation.com/bige, hosted by VDTM. The site offers discount codes, links to participating businesses, and a map of brick and mortar locations throughout Vermont.
To celebrate Vermont Day this Saturday, September 26, additional promotions will be available through the site. Vermont Day, is typically the largest day of the fair, bringing in 170,000 fairgoers on that day alone. This day will feature special deals for shoppers to find some of their favorite Big E items and try something new from the ecommerce sites of these Vermont businesses.
Businesses participating: Agricola Farm, American Flatbread, Autumn Mountain Winery & Cabins, Bear's Den Carving, Ben & Jerry's, Better Wheel Workshops, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Danforth Pewter, Eden Specialty Ciders, Halladay's Harvest Barn, Jay's Woodshop, Johnson Woolen Mills, Long Trail Brewing Company, Mother Myrick's Confectionery, RopaNa LLC, The Skinny Pancake, True North Granola, Vermont Clothing Company, Vermont Cookie Love, Vermont Flannel Company, Vermont Hand Crafters, Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association, Vermont Prime Emu, Village Peddler/The Village Chocolate Shoppe