‘A foodie festival’: The Big E state fair overflows with Maine eats

Maine’s Food Stars Shine at the 2026 Big E State Fair

West Springfield, Massachusetts – The Big E, the New England region’s flagship fair, will host more than 1.5 million visitors this year. From Sept. 18 through Oct. 4, the sprawling grounds will showcase a cornucopia of Maine‑produced foods, with more than 20 exhibitors lining up in a red‑brick pavilion that has been a staple of the fair since 1925.

The “Maine Building,” a colonial‑style structure with white columns that echoes the state’s iconic architecture, is owned by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF). “For a Maine business, the Big E offers exposure to a regional audience at a scale that would be difficult to reach on its own,” said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal in an email to reporters. “There are opportunities to make significant sales, but the value can extend beyond the fair’s 17 days. Businesses can introduce themselves to thousands of new customers, drive people to their websites and stores, test products and messaging, and build relationships that continue afterward.”

A State‑Wide Food Festival

The fair’s “Avenue of States” – a boulevard lined with one‑third‑scale replicas of each New England statehouse – serves as a backdrop for the Maine Building’s food stalls. The pavilion’s curator, Anne Trenholm, who has overseen the Maine display since 2018 and also coordinates DACF promotions, says the space is unique across the country. “Every state building is unique, and I don’t think there’s anything like this across the country,” Trenholm told the local press. “The Big E has really become kind of a foodie festival. Walking through those state buildings, I just want to eat everything.”

Among the 20 exhibitors are a mix of farmers, processors and restaurants. The pavilion will feature:

• Fields Fields Blueberries – Woman‑owned wild blueberry farm Ashley Fields brings a gluten‑free blueberry crisp and blueberry leaf teas. “I grew up going to the fair; it’s changed a lot, but the love for Maine food stays,” she said. “Fields Fields Blueberries is pairing its wild blueberry crisp with Gifford’s ice cream.”
• Hawke’s of Harpswell – The lobster‑roll shop will serve its signature rolls, a Maine staple that has long attracted fairgoers.
• Tree of Life Maple Farm – A spread of maple products, from syrup to candied bark, celebrates Maine’s maple‑producing regions.
• Valley View Orchard Pies – Lisa Dunham and her family run a booth that has been on the fairgrounds since 2021. They offer 15 flavors of whoopie pies, blueberry pies, crisps and, this year, frozen drinks. “It’s a lot of work,” Dunham said. “You go through more product than you expect.”
• Maine Potato Board – With a nine‑station, six‑oven operation, the potato booth is a long‑running favorite. Executive director Jeannie Tapley estimates the booth can move about 5,000 potatoes a day. “The line averages 100 to 150 people at a time, but it only takes about 10 minutes to get to the front,” Tapley said. The potatoes, sourced from Superior farms in Caribou, are sold at $8 each with toppings such as sour cream, chives and butter.
• Maine Aquaculture Association – The association’s Sebastian’s Smoke House booth will offer smoked salmon on a stick and Capt’n Eli’s Root Beer. Executive director Sebastian Belle noted that “people can get very upset when they run out of salmon.” The booth also promotes the Maine Oyster Trail, an interactive guide that connects visitors to over 80 local oyster farms. “This is really an opportunity to educate the younger generation,” Belle said.

In addition to the Maine Building, the fair will feature a gluten‑free food truck run by husband‑and‑wife team Mark and Jennifer Tripp of Tripp’s Farmhouse Café. The couple, who previously sold at the Maine pavilion, are launching the truck on the grounds in the 18th and 19th Century‑themed Storrowton Village. “We just make good food,” Mark Tripp told reporters. “85 % of the people we sell to don’t keep gluten‑free, but we make delicious meals that everyone can enjoy.” They anticipate fried Oreos and chicken tenders will account for more than 40 % of sales, while homemade donuts are expected to be a crowd‑pleaser.

A Community of Collaboration

Commissioner Beal highlighted how the Maine Building is a microcosm of the state’s food ecosystem. “That’s a great reflection of how Maine’s food economy works. Farmers, fishermen, aquaculture producers, processors, restaurants, and makers aren’t operating in isolation; they depend on and strengthen one another.” The fair’s emphasis on collaboration is also evident in the way QP Burger incorporates products from several Maine companies into its menu, and Fire & Co. showcases Maine‑grown ingredients and beverages.

The Maine Office of Tourism, headed by Director Carolann Ouellette, emphasized the cultural value of the fair. “When fair attendees discover a Maine product, they get to learn about the farm and people behind the product, and that develops a bond that we hope will carry forward in a trip to Maine’s farms and food businesses.”

A Tradition of Flavor

The Big E has been a New England tradition for nearly a century, drawing crowds that have grown from a few hundred to more than 1.5 million visitors last year. The 2026 run is expected to match or exceed that number, with 17 days of entertainment, competition and, of course, food. The Maine Building is slated to be a highlight, offering a taste of the state’s culinary diversity – from sweet maple and blueberry treats to savory lobster rolls and hearty baked potatoes.

As the fair’s gates open on Sept. 18, visitors will have the chance to sample a cross‑section of Maine’s bounty, meet the people who grow and create it, and perhaps discover a new favorite dish that will inspire a future trip to the North Atlantic.