West Springfield Day celebrated at The Big E

WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA. (WGGB/WSHM) - Monday was the fourth day of The Big E and West Springfield Day was celebrated at the fairgrounds.

“I am disappointed that it’s raining again on West Springfield Day,” said West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt.

West Springfield is, of course, home to New England’s largest fair and the fourth largest fair in the country.

“It is a great thing for West Springfield and the region,” Reichelt added.

Reichelt told us, rain or shine, that doesn’t stop people from coming out and each year, they look forward to making the fair bigger and better.

“It was very busy all weekend long. Not sure if we had record breaking crowds, but it’s hard when you set the record and the bar so high,” Reichelt explained.

He said that, while the large crowds and high traffic volume can be frustrating for the 17 days of the fair, it helps out the West Springfield community in other ways.

“The traffic can be frustrating sometimes, and as West Springfield residents, we kind of got the brunt of it the most, but there are a lot of West Springfield, businesses and residents, that are down here that to make money off of this and to benefit. Their families benefit and they get back to the community in that way, as well as the residents around here that are able to park cars and make up some of that income that way too,” Reichelt noted.

For Reichelt, seeing the businesses around town benefit from The Big E is a highlight, but so is the food.

“One of my favorite burgers to eat and it is National Cheeseburger Bay, so the flatliner hamburger at the Lions Club is great,” Reichelt said.

The flatliner and the West Springfield Lions Club is a staple at the fair.

“Last year was a record year for us and the year before, it was really good,” said John Leary with the West Springfield Lions Club.

All of the proceeds from the West Springfield Lions Club go to charity and all of the workers are volunteers. Leary told us he never expected to find himself running a kitchen at The Big E, but it’s something he looks forward to every year because of the people.

“I came down here and met this group of people, the Lions, and next thing I know, they threw me in and I am the cook for the day and now, I manage and take care of the ordering and everything that should be done,” Lyons explained.

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