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When it comes to food, The Big E has a little something for everyone. There’s the fry-everything-that’s-not-nailed-down category for those who want the ultimate state fair experience. There are the classic, state-specific snacks that have been available for decades and drum up heaps of nostalgia. And then you’ve got the new and novel over-the-top treats that pile precariously and are full of creative combos that are just screaming to be shared on social media. Whether you're headed to The Big E for the live music, agricultural competitions or just to check out the scene at New England's largest fall festival, there’s fair fare for you, no matter your mood.
Below, you’ll find The Big E bites you can’t miss, plus the new foods debuting in 2024.
What food to eat at the Big E
The cream puff
These giant cream puffs from The Big E Bakery are classic for a reason. Piled high with cream and topped with an optional chocolate ganache, they’re available at multiple locations across the fair, and you can watch them get made at the New England Center bakery. And if vanilla is a little too simple for you, the 2024 flavor of the year is cookies and cream.
BBQ sundae
This creation, dreamed up by the geniuses at Porky’s Pork Palace, looks wild but is actually just a deliciously layered barbecue dinner in a cup. Available with either pulled pork or brisket, it starts with cornbread that is piled with baked beans, mashed potatoes and your meat of choice, then topped with coleslaw and a cherry tomato. Ice cream wishes it was this good.
Fried Oreo
Fried desserts are a state fair staple, with the iconic sandwich cookie ranking high among them. The fryer transforms the Oreo into a cakey morsel that plays well with the battered exterior. You can order fried Oreos at several places at the fair, including Tootsie’s. If you want something a little more New England, there’s the fried whoopie pie from Sugar Shakers.
Maine baked potato
If you spot a line outside the Maine Building, this is why. A classic baked potato done to perfection and topped with whatever you like: bacon, cheese, sour cream or all of the above. It’s not The Big E if you don’t get The Potato.
Dilly dog
In the category of over-the-top fried things on a stick, this combines a whole lot of flavor in what looks at first glance to be a standard, if slightly hefty, corn dog. The Meatball Factory stuffs a frank inside a hollowed-out pickle and then dips it in batter and fries the whole shebang.
Chicken tot pie
A comfort food staple has been tots-ified. Tots-A-Lot offers several different toppings for its crispy potato puffs, but the gravy-enrobed filling of a chicken pot pie just brings the fall vibes.
Dinner in a cone
The Agawam Lions Club is making meals portable by stuffing dinner favorites inside a cone made of bread. You can choose from bacon mac and cheese, meatballs and shepherd's pie fillings, or arrive before 11am to try a breakfast version.
New foods for 2024
The Deviled Egg
This new vendor serves up specialty deviled eggs, both regular and fried (of course!). Flavors include breakfast, taco, dill pickle and loaded baked potato.
Pickle Fries
Are they fried pickles, or pickle-flavored fries? We’re not sure yet, but this new vendor serves them up plain or with cheese and gravy.
Macho Taco
New vendor Macho Taco is betting you’ll want some Mexican mashups like birria ramen and empanada tacos, which are empanadas sliced open and filled with taco toppings.
W.A.V.E. Mocktail Cart
New alcohol-free offerings include kiwi seltzer, P.O.G. juice (passion fruit, orange, guava), a virgin mojito, a 0% spicy margarita and a Shirley Temple. NA never looked so good.
Dole Whip
Also new this year, you can get the Hawaiian frozen dessert at the Big E in classic pineapple, lemon, strawberry or mango flavors.
The Emporium
This is where you’ll go for something called the Craz-E Burger, made with an Angus beef smash patty with cheese, bacon and onion rings stacked between two glazed doughnuts.
The Cantina
This is a new place to get beer and specialty cocktails, including a margarita topped with cotton candy.
The Wine Loft
This new spot in partnership with Coppola Winery will be serving up wine pairings and charcuterie boards.
Schroder Concessions
The place for cheese curds on the fairgrounds, the flavors this year include garlic, ranch, dill, jalapeño and Cajun.
Chompers
Chompers makes bite-sized fried balls of deliciousness, and this year’s new option is buffalo chicken.
Ferrindino Maple
For a New England twist on an Italian classic, check out Ferrindino Maple’s new Creemee Cannoli. It’s filled with Ferrindino maple creemee ("creemee" is Vermont-speak for soft serve) and drizzled with chocolate or maple syrup.
Meatball Factory
While you’re picking up a dilly dog above, check out the new-for-2024 Korean corn dog.
Deliplace
The latest menu item here is a loaded bloomin' onion—that one steakhouse could never.
Cha Feo
The bubble tea establishment is serving up mochinuts, a Japanese doughnut made with mochi, a sweet glutinous rice.
Las Kangris
The Puerto Rican place is adding flan in vanilla, cheese and piña colada flavors this year.
Deluca Family Foods
Want to know how a deep-fried ice cream sandwich tastes (and holds together)? Head to Deluca Family Foods.
Moolicious
Check out the ice cream place’s new cornbread sundae: a warm, homemade piece of cornbread topped with sweet corn ice cream, hot honey syrup and a dollop of whipped cream.
Fluffy’s Hand-Cut Donuts
Leave the Dunkin at home and grab the Iced Coffee Glazed Doughnut Float, a doughnut rim around an iced coffee with vanilla ice cream and a glazed doughnut hole.
Top of the Crust
This food court pizza spot is adding crab rangoon pizza to its menu.
Storrowtown Tavern
The comfort food spot is serving up several new menu items, including a blackened mac and cheese bowl, Cajun mac and cheese in a bread bowl and crab dip (pictured).
Apple Fries
Whether you’ve had apple fries before or not, the new peanut butter, bacon and caramel apple fries-sundae sounds like a must-try.
Wurst Haus
Get the best of the wurst with the new "supreme schnitzel sandy," a pork cutlet topped with beer cheese sauce and bacon crumble on a pretzel bun.