With A Capital E

There was a long stretch, where for years and years, and for reasons I'm not quite sure of, I had completely avoided the Big E. Then I went again a few years ago, skipped a year or two, then went again last year. Now here I am again, and it looks like I'm back on a roll with this fair. If you can call it a fair. It is like it's name says: Not just the Eastern States Expositon, but 'The Big Exposition'...









It's huge. And it seems to have more of a circus atmosphere than a traditional farmer's country fair. Here there are elephants, trained seals, miniature horses. As a matter of fact, it has a circus. And it has a traditional fair, and it has a midway rivaling small theme parks.







And the circus seems to figure heavily in the theme of attractions. There are a few exhibits specifically dedicated to the great circuses of old. There is a museum with a miniaturized version of the old big-top circuses that came and set up over acres of land, turning the local counties upside down during it's stay.

Another exhibit is dedicated to posters and pictures from that heyday.





The Budweiser Horses also do a show and participate in the parades. Here they are in their dressing rooms afterwards.



We decided to go mid-week to avoid the traffic snarls of the weekends, and besides, Thursday was Massachusetts Day at the Big E. After 5 pm the entrance fee is 5 bucks, which didn't hurt either. We made sure to check out all six of the buildings, each representing one of the six New England states. The Vermont building showcases it's great cheeses, the Maine building it's potatoes. People love Maine potatoes. They were lined up all the way out the door and then some, to purchase a steaming hot one.



Connecticut has it's Legos.



There is very little of the quiet country charm of the hill town fairs here. Your definitely in the urban realm, there's no escaping that fact. But what it lacks in intimacy it makes up for in sheer spectacle with amazingly high volumes of people, sights, attractions and vendors.







They had had a Massachusetts Day parade right at 5pm, which we missed, but we did get to see the 7:30 Mardi Gras parade. Replete with spooky floats, and beads tossed (hurtled) into the crowd.





Right outside the buildings a Sea Lion show was going on. Smart critters.



The Big E is definitely the biggest late summer fair in the northeast. Whether that makes it better than the smaller fairs out in the country is up to you.



But one thing is for sure: the Big E is big.

Worst Case Scenario

I was in West Springfield, and managed to get a look across the river, at the wreckage of a fuel-carrying tractor trailer accident early this morning. The tanker had ruptured and ignited, sending smoke and flames 400 feet high, according to some other people who had been watching. By the time I got there the flames had been subdued, but still burned at the bottom of the hill where the tanker-half of the truck came to rest.



The accident apparently was triggered by a car coming off the 391 exit and entering 91. It collided with two other cars, and the tractor trailer lost control trying to avoid them. The truck cab got hung up on the guard rail and it's fuel ignited, while the tanker part went over the edge and down the hill, igniting also. The tanker was carrying 9600 gallons of gasoline and 1000 gallons of diesel. What a mess.





State troopers and other motorists heroically helped douse the flames on the truck driver, who had escaped from the truck cab and run across the burning diesel to save his life. He was seriously hurt though, and went to the hospital, along with the passenger of the vehicle coming off 391. Amazingly no one else was hurt.







The 'Chicoppee Curve', as it's known, is notorious for accidents. Particularly truck rollovers, with several occurring there per year. (usually seems to be on a Friday too, for some reason). It's simply too sharp a curve for highway speeds. If your not used to it, or not paying attention, it can take you by surprise. Add an entrance ramp right at the end of that curve, and there's your recipe for disaster.


Under The Bridge

On a lighter note, when I was taking those pictures, I noticed some interesting graffiti under the highway bridge (if it qualifies as graffiti.)...











Looks like the Lollipop Gang was here...

Rock Of Ages

Springfield is debating whether or not to purchase the Old First Church in Court Square downtown, as a dwindling congregation has forced it's sale.



Those in the debate might consider looking directly across the Connecticut river. There, in West Springfield, is another church. It's probably from about the same era, though not as ornate. It has however recently undergone a private sale of it's own...

This 19th century church in West Springfield was rapidly falling to ruin just a couple years ago.



Then maybe a year or two ago, as I occasionally passed by, I noticed people milling about it more and more often. Trucks parked outside. People pointing and gesturing to each other. At first I assumed it was being readied for demolition, it looked so far gone. But no. As the weeks rolled by, the doors were opened to people with tools and equipment, walking in and out, doing this and that. Scaffolding going up. Paint began being scraped, new paint being applied. It soon became apparent that this stately old church would survive.

They did a fine job. The restoration took 100 years off the outside appearance. At least from the street. Great to see it not go to waste I thought. Then a short time later, I noticed this small, simple black and white sign, sitting out front:



The Rotary Records. The old church had been sold, and transformed into a recording and sound design studio! Well, halle-freakin-lujah.

They have a website: http://www.rotaryrecords.com/home.asp
The website has some interesting pictures of the renovations they've done inside, and they did a lot. It looks like a very professional recording studio. No trace of the old church to be seen in the pictures. There are 23 foot high ceilings (imagine the acoustics) on the 2nd floor recording area. The 1st floor has been transformed into a five room apartment for traveling clients to stay.

The pictures appear to show sound-proofing panels on the walls, like the kind you'd see in a typical recording studio. But still, imagine cranking up the amp, stomping on the overdrive pedal, and wailing on your electric guitar...in a church? How about the drums?!? There's just something deliciously sacrilegious about the whole thing. Something very rock and roll. Someone's going to hell for this.

Right outside, on two sides of the church, there is an old cemetery.





I don't want to, but I have to say it; who'll be the first to play loud enough, to wake the dead?

So, just something for the good people of Springfield to consider as they debate public or private ownership of the Old First Church; be careful what ye wish for...

Thursday Buffet

Around the Greater Springfield area today:


This building is going up where the original Showcase Cinemas 1 - 4 in West Springfield used to be located.


I saw some of my first movies there. I remember thinking how towering and impressive those pillars were inside and outside the entrance, and how cavernous the lobby area seemed to be, back when I was a kid. That was magic. That was going to the movies.




Over the bridge to Springfield, under this cool looking sky.

Stopped in at Mom and Rico's in the South end for lunch.

They have a great buffet with authentic Italian food, that you can get to-go, or eat there. The service? It's like your mom working there. Unbelievable, how good they treat you.

These demonstrators slowed traffic a bit on the Chicopee /Springfield line, near where they're building a new women's prison. I'm not sure what they were demonstrating about, but they were mighty enthusiastic about demonstrating.




The signs they held read:

2.2 million isn't enough; This is Progress; Out of the Home, and into the Lock-Up; Liberation through Incarceration.

I'm guessing they were anti-jail.



Anyway, back to the country, the cold last night is hurrying the colors along...