Dreary, rainy weather keeps large crowds away at the Big E's last weekend
WEST SPRINGFIELD - As the Big E wraps up Sunday night in West Springfield, organizers said the rainy weather has kept lots of people away from the fair.
On Friday, it was a soggy, dreary day at the Big E. The ferris wheels were brought to a halt and there was no lines for the stalls selling fried treats. But there was still a few people huddled under their umbrellas, taking everything in.
"I feel like we're the party," said Boston resident Debbie Moss. "We bring the party. Anyone who's here today deserves some extra credit."
With weekend after weekend or downpours, September was mostly a washout for the fair.
"We're down a little bit but it's amazing how many people are on the fairgrounds right now when it's downpouring," said Big E President Eugene Cassidy.
The smaller crowds meant less customers for the hundreds of vendors at the Big E.
"A lot of us vendors have been talking about it," said Timothy Kerigan of Millie's Pierogis. "This is definitely the most rain we've seen in probably like 15 years or so."
When the sun does come out, the fairgrounds are bustling. On Thursday, the Big E set a single-day attendance record as nearly 109,000 people visited.