The Big E: What it takes to create 17 days of magic

At The Big E, a fair becomes a mirror. Wander with the Audacious crew through 175 acres of wonder and delight to meet the people who bring it to life! From a Lost & Found sage, to a fairy from the Florence Griswold Museum, to a hot tub ace, to Amber, the bathroom attendant/joy DJ. President & CEO Gene Cassidy shares the soul of the Exposition, then we follow our heads, hearts, and (especially) stomachs through cream puffs, Pepe’s pizza, cookie dough-on-a-stick, and dangerously good oddities. Suggested episodes: Scenes from the Big E: A fair filled with food, animals, music – and heart GUESTS:  Mary Naughton and Cyndy Penner: mother and daughter duo behind Cyndy’s Bears, selling embroidered teddy bears and other personalized items Andrea Anderson and Sabrina Gagnon: at The Big E with their Clydesdale horses from Hobby Knoll Stable in Duxbury, MA Susan Rotondo and Bill Motyl: longtime fair regulars from Southwick, MA Tammi Flynn: Director of Communications at The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT Rita Rivera: a fairy for the day, advertising the Wee Faerie Village at The Florence Griswold Museum Amber Stone: bathroom attendant at The Big E and recovery coach from Springfield, MA Ed Ame: a Chicago native, who spends most of the year traveling and works at the Lost & Found booth at The Big E James Tackett: a man from Madison, IN, who runs the mini ball booth at The Big E Darryl Wilson: sales representative for MAAX Swim Spas and Hot Tubs Melissa Russell: fife player from Bristol, CT, who performs with a fife and drum corps, and spent Connecticut Day with her family at The Big E John Barrows: printer at Eastern States Exposition Eugene Cassidy: President and CEO at Eastern States Exposition Greg: a Faribault, MN, native, who sells blooming onions at The Big E Kevin Gagliard: Operations Manager at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana  Lynn Lischke: Newburyport, MA, resident, who sells cream puffs at The Big E Josh Virkler: owner of Luann’s Bakery in Ellington, Stafford, and soon Hartford, CT  Jackson Panek-Henderson: nine-year-old fairgoer from Newington, CT Joseph Haag: owner of Kora and Mila’s Cookie Dough from Plymouth, WI, serving cookie dough on a stick at The Big E Josh, John, and Henry Pupa: repeat fairgoers from Griswold, CT Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.