It’s Time For Connecticut to Have it’s Own State Fair

As the 2023 edition of The Big E carries on every day from now until October 1, I'm angry. For yet another year, I didn't make it up to the largest "Multi-state" fair in our area. Why can't Connecticut's unofficial state fair happen on our land? How did West Springfield, Massachusetts claim all of New England? Connecticut is fair and festival obsessed, and I think it's time for The Connecticut State Fair.

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We mentioned the Great Danbury Fair during our show this morning to give away some concert tickets, and our question was "When was the last year of the Danbury Fair?" It was 1981. Most knew the answer because of how much that wonderful event meant to so many people. Look at the attendance at the Milford and Norwalk Oyster Festivals, The Bethlehem Fair, Durham Fair, Garlic Festivals, and all of the Strawberry festivals, outdoor + food + vendors = $$$ in Connecticut.

6 states are represented at The Big E - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Northern states - ME, NH, VT - all have their own separate state fairs. Our neighbor to the West puts on The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse every year. Even New Jersey, with all of their boardwalks and seaside attractions, has a state fair.

Think of our power Connecticut, if we could unite all of our fairs and festivals into The Connecticut State Fair? The steamed cheeseburgers, pizza, original hamburgers, oysters, potato and corn, strawberry, garlic, and harvest festivals all in one? Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Albanian, Irish, Jamaican? Hold it at both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods?

I would love to see that.