Big E attendance record broken

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - With one day remaining in the 2012 running of New England's Great State fair, The Big E has already set a new attendance record.

With 1.28 million people walking through the gates of the West Springfield Exposition Grounds as of Saturday night, that's 20,000 more total people than had ever attended the Big E in previous years.

According to Eastern States Exposition director of marketing Noreen Tassinari , the last record was set back in 2009, with 1.26 million people. 

An abundance of fair weather days certainly helped boost attendance for this year's run.

The new attendance record will certainly be higher than 1.28 million because that figure does not include Sunday's attendance figures.  The Big E will close out its 2012 run at 10:00 Sunday night.  The Big E began its 2012 run September 14th.

The Big E will honor the Special Olympics on its final day

The highlight of the ceremony will be a torch run that begins at Gate 1 and ends at the Flag Plaza.