Creative Arts began with the Home Department in 1917, then the First National Quilt Contest was held in 1932 with more than 600 quilts submitted. The Quilt Contest became the Eastern States Creative Craft Adventure in 1967 and included a wide range of crafts from rugs to embroidery and quilts. The event was held in August, prior to the opening of The Fair, and only the top winners were exhibited during the fair. In 2007, the department was renamed Creative Arts and all entries received were displayed during the fair. Today, Creative Arts holds over 40 competitions during The Big E!

Volunteers are an important part of Creative Arts at The Big E! We have volunteer opportunities for people of all abilities, skills, and time commitments. Creative Arts provides a great environment to be exposed to various crafts, interact with fairgoers, and to share your knowledge with the public.

Set-up and take-down assistants:
Assistants help exhibitors when they drop off their entries for judging by making sure that the entry is properly entered and tagged. They also help set up and take down displays and assist exhibitors in picking up their entries and awards.

Scribes and Presenters
Judging day is a busy day for the Creative Arts department! We have about 40 departments to be judged, and each judge needs a scribe and often a presenter who lays out the items.

The Creative Arts Ambassador
The volunteer Ambassadors are the friendly faces everyone sees when they enter the New England Center! Ambassadors greet fair visitors, answer questions about our wonderful exhibits and general fair questions.

The Creative Arts Tour Guide
Tour guides will be provided with information to share with our fairgoers about the wonderful exhibits, history, and how to become involved. Tours will be scheduled on weekends and some weekdays on the hour or every other hour from 10 am to 6 pm.

Off Season Events
There are events at the fairgrounds all year that need volunteers! The Gold Medal Wine, Cider, and Perry Competition in June, the Gold Medal Cheese Competition in July, and Fiber Festival of New England in November all have volunteer opportunities. It’s a great opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and stay connected with The Big E and your fellow volunteers all year round.

Sign up to volunteer here!

Demonstrators can represent and promote their craft at The Big E to hundreds of guests a day. The role of the demonstrator is to show the public how their art, craft, or horticulture is done, how to get started, and where to go for more help, instruction, and supplies. Demonstrators can choose to be on the display floor or on the stage. Plus, demonstration hours count towards your total volunteer hours.

Sign up to demonstrate as an individual here!
Sign up to demonstrate as a group here!

Creative Arts volunteers get several benefits for their work:
⭐ An invite to the annual volunteer dinner
⭐ Meal tickets for the Moses Cafeteria during The Big E
⭐ Parking in free employee parking lots with a shuttle to the grounds during the fair
⭐ 1 additional Big E admission ticket for every 8 hours volunteered before and after the fair
⭐ Complimentary snacks and beverages

All Big E 5-Shift Volunteers: Give More to Get More!
⭐ 17 Day pass to the Big E and invitation to pre- and post-Fair gatherings
⭐ 20% discount at ESE retail locations
⭐ Volunteer 20 hours or more for an invitation for our volunteer trip
⭐ Volunteer 100 hours or more in a calendar year to receive a pin

⭐ Volunteer
⭐ Individual Demonstrate
⭐ Group Demonstrate

Thank you for your support and time dedicated to the Creative Arts. The incredible displays admired by all that visit the New England Center are only possible with the support of our amazing volunteers!

If you have any questions, please contact Creative Arts at CreativeArts@TheBigE.com or
call 413-205-5015.