Dentures to phones: inside The Big E lost and found

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - The Big E is over, but there are hundreds of items left behind by fairgoers sitting in lost and found. While the fair is all about creating unforgettable memories and excitement, it’s easy for fairgoers to misplace or lose their personal items.

“We have 1,076 items in our lost and found. The majority of them have either been claimed…and we still have 421 still waiting to be claimed,” said Theresa Williams, assistant manager of the Lost People’s Center at the Eastern States Exposition.

Cell phones, kids toys, sunglasses, wallets, bags, and more are among those items.

“We get all types of items. We have teeth in there, a retainer. We mailed out a couple of ‘luvies’ that kids have dropped at the fair, so we got them home to the kids,” Williams added.

Williams told Western Mass News that, since the weather was so nice this year,they had a lot more clothes turned in compared to previous years.

“We have a ton of clothing because it was cold in the morning and people took their sweatshirts off and they left them here,” Williams added.

Now, Williams told us they are focused on reuniting folks with their lost belongings!

“Unfortunately, a lot of stuff does not get turned in, but we do still have a lot of very nice fairgoers, who did turn in over 1,000 items this year, so there is a good possibility that it is here,” Williams said.

Starting Wednesday, any remaining lost and found items will be located at the Brooks Building on the fairgrounds, which is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but you’ll want to call ahead and be prepared to describe what you lost.

“So, we’ll have the unclaimed items for one full year and then, before the fair next year, me and one or the other two staff members here will come in and everything gets donated,” Williams explained.

If you track down something you lost, you can pick it up in person or there is also a mailing option as well. You can CLCIK HERE for more information.