Eastern States Exposition – The “Big E” – An Annual Events/
The Eastern States Exposition includes agricultural components: livestock shows and exhibits of vegetables, such as the “Great Pumpkin,” seen in the photo from 2007. Charlie Brown might be jealous! This year, the event will be held from September 18 – October 4, 2009. Mark your calendars!
This ESE file photo, courtesy of Eastern States Exposition, was taken in 2007 and shows a huge pumpkin! I can bet that a forklift probably was needed to transport it! We can only guess how many pumpkin pies that would make!
Ever since I was a child, I heard about the “Big E,” an annual enterprise that is sure to please the entire family. I believe my older brother, Steve, showed a heifer, or a cow, there. I would verify that with him, but he is no longer with us. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of New Hampshire.
The “Big E,” its nickname, always hosts great music, rides, and exhibits. Features include vendors and food stands to suit anyone’s taste.
Here are a few of the quilts exhibited in 2007. Photo courtesy of Eastern States Exposition.
I recognize the pattern of the quilt, on the far right, as the one called, “Calico Garden,” designed by Florence Peto, noted quilt historian. I wrote about Mrs. Peto in my book, Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster (1867-1950), Her Amazing Quilt “Charts,” Her Writings, and Her Life. Mrs. Peto’s observed that it is not necessary to be didactic about nomenclature, when it comes to designating quilt block names.
My 355 page, 240 photo biography of Mrs. Webster, a New Hampshire quilt historian in the 1930s, is an e-book on CD. This is still available to order, on the products available page of our website.
As an aside, a number of simulated quilt patterns that Mrs. Webster made were based on quilts she saw at Eastern States Exposition and at Storrowton (a re-created old village with antique buildings moved onto the site. I wrote about Storrowton for my “Pieces of the Past” column in The Quilter magazine. Mrs. Webster was a quilt judge at some of those exhibitions, and my book has a list of the quilts and their origins upon which Webster based her work in saving quilt designs.
Click on this link for “Calico Garden,” and you will be able to see my re-creation of the same quilt, using Froncie Quinn’s pattern. My quilt is registered, as a reproduction, at the Shelburne Museum.
More information about the quilt, and ordering information for Froncie’s pattern, are located here.
Pumpkins seem to be the theme of my week. Please click link to read an interview with Anne Copeland, author of Pumpkins, Pumpkins (cookbook and more). I feel gleeful to see this other photo of a truckload of pumpkins at the ESE event in 2007. I am thankful to Eastern States Exposition for making these photos available for use in this press summary.
Please do go to the gala happenings this year, if you are in the area. The Eastern States Exposition is located at 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. (413) 737-2443.
Patricia Lynne Grace Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
Concord, NH
http://www.quiltersmuse.com
