Vermont businesses had a fantastic year at the region’s biggest fair: The Big E.
The atmosphere felt like the old days before the pandemic. Vendors were telling their stories to visitors. The 17-day event invited visitors from New England and beyond to come experience a taste of our region’s businesses, food, agriculture, and products. The Vermont Building once again hosted many great businesses from the Green Mountain State, providing a wonderful, historic venue for a great year Here are a few highlights. And those visitors were buying a “Taste of Vermont.” Preliminary sales for the 2022 Big E which ended on Sunday October 2nd totaled $1.7 million dollars.
Some notable items from the fair:
- All-time Big-E single day attendance record (177,789) was hit on Vermont Day (September 24).
- The #1 new food to try at the Big E this year - Nomadic Kitchen Confections’ S’mores Macaron recommended by MassLive.
- Logan George, Maintenance and Services staff for the Vermont Building, received the Big E “Host of the Day” award on Wednesday, September 28. This award recognizes one employee, volunteer, and other member of The Big E family each day during the fair who goes “above and beyond” to make the fair a positive experience for everyone involved.
Total attendance at the Big E this year reached 1,603,354 million visitors, second only to 2019. Twenty-three Vermont vendors welcomed those who visited the Vermont Building. Harvest New England Day on September 30th increased that number to thirty-three.
We are grateful for the commitment to all those who spend so much time promoting Vermont over the 17 days.
Governor Phill Scott once again was able to spend time on the fairgrounds and talking with the vendors about their needs. He told us “I want to extend my appreciation to all the Vermont companies that promote the Green Mountain State at the Big E. Your commitment to this 17-day fair is impressive and important as we grow our economy. When I visited on Vermont Day, it was clear those visiting the building were enjoying all that Vermont was serving up. Congratulations on another successful fair on the avenue of states.”
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets takes pride in managing the Vermont building with support from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Building and General Services, The Vermont State Police and the Vermont Department of Labor. Our team of Faith Raymond, Trevor Lowell, Kristen Brassard and Laura Ginsburg are honored to be a part of this effort.
The complete list of vendors at the Vermont Building this year include: The Skinny Pancake, Better Wheel Workshops, Eden Specialty Ciders, Halladay's Harvest Barn, J&P Bonita Enterprises, Ben & Jerry's, Mother Myrick's Confectionery, Vermont Clothing Company, Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association, The Village Peddler, FinAllie Ferments, Green Mountain Concessions, Bergamot + Amor, Hilaryannlove Studio, Sugar Bob's Finest Kind , Teen Challenge Vermont, Treeline, Willow Bend Publishing, Nomadic Kitchen, KIS Kombucha, Bear's Den Carving, Danforth Pewter, and the Long Trail Brewing Company.
The ten additional Harvest Day vendors include: Myer’s Bagels, Shrubbly, Wild Vermont Soaps, Northeast Kingdom Hemp, Bear Tree Sugarworks, Gracie’s Bees, Fern Bridge Farm, Valley Clayplain Forest Farm, Prints by Z, and the Vermont Farm Bureau.
Thanks to all. We look forward to an exciting Big E Fair in 2023 but for now everyone is catching their breath as we march toward winter.
Anson Tebbetts
Secretary