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Wander with the Audacious crew through 175 acres of wonder and delight to meet the people who bring The Big E to life!   

From a Lost & Found sage, to a fairy from the Florence Griswold Museum, to a hot tub ace, to Amber, the bathroom attendant/joy DJ.  

President & CEO Gene Cassidy shares the soul of the Exposition, then we follow our heads, hearts, and (especially) stomachs through cream puffs, Pepe’s pizza, and cookie dough-on-a-stick.

This episode originally aired on October 4, 2025.

Suggested episodes:
Scenes from the Big E: A fair filled with food, animals, music – and heart

 

GUESTS: 
Mary Naughton and Cyndy Penner: mother and daughter duo behind Cyndy’s Bears, selling embroidered teddy bears and other personalized items
Andrea Anderson and Sabrina Gagnon: at The Big E with their Clydesdale horses from Hobby Knoll Stable in Duxbury, MA
Susan Rotondo and Bill Motyl: longtime fair regulars from Southwick, MA
Tammi Flynn: Director of Communications at The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT
Rita Rivera: a fairy for the day, advertising the Wee Faerie Village at The Florence Griswold Museum
Amber Stone: bathroom attendant at The Big E and recovery coach from Springfield, MA
Ed Ame: a Chicago native, who spends most of the year traveling and works at the Lost & Found booth at The Big E
James Tackett: a man from Madison, IN, who runs the mini ball booth at The Big E
Darryl Wilson: sales representative for MAAX Swim Spas and Hot Tubs
Melissa Russell: fife player from Bristol, CT, who performs with a fife and drum corps, and spent Connecticut Day with her family at The Big E
John Barrows: printer at Eastern States Exposition
Eugene Cassidy: President and CEO at Eastern States Exposition
Greg: a Faribault, MN, native, who sells blooming onions at The Big E
Kevin Gagliard: Operations Manager at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana 
Lynn Lischke: Newburyport, MA, resident, who sells cream puffs at The Big E
Josh Virkler: owner of Luann’s Bakery in Ellington, Stafford, and soon Hartford, CT 
Jackson Panek-Henderson: nine-year-old fairgoer from Newington, CT
Joseph Haag: owner of Kora and Mila’s Cookie Dough from Plymouth, WI, serving cookie dough on a stick at The Big E
Josh, John, and Henry Pupa: repeat fairgoers from Griswold, CT

Wander with the Audacious crew through 175 acres of wonder and delight to meet the people who bring The Big E to life!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
From a Lost &amp; Found sage, to a fairy from the Florence Griswold Museum, to a hot tub ace, to Amber, the bathroom attendant/joy DJ.&nbsp;&nbsp;
President &amp; CEO Gene Cassidy shares the soul of the Exposition, then we follow our heads, hearts, and (especially) stomachs through cream puffs, Pepe&rsquo;s pizza, and cookie dough-on-a-stick.
This episode originally aired on October 4, 2025.
Suggested episodes:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-09-24/big-e-eastern-states-exposition-ct-mass-new-england">Scenes from the Big E: A fair filled with food, animals, music &ndash; and heart</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
GUESTS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Mary Naughton and Cyndy Penner: mother and daughter duo behind <a href="https://www.cyndysbears.com/">Cyndy&rsquo;s Bears</a>, selling embroidered teddy bears and other personalized items</li>
<li aria-level="1">Andrea Anderson and Sabrina Gagnon: at The Big E with their Clydesdale horses from <a href="https://www.hks-clydesdales.com/">Hobby Knoll Stable</a> in Duxbury, MA</li>
<li aria-level="1">Susan Rotondo and Bill Motyl: longtime fair regulars from Southwick, MA</li>
<li aria-level="1">Tammi Flynn: Director of Communications at <a href="https://florencegriswoldmuseum.org/">The Florence Griswold Museum</a> in Old Lyme, CT</li>
<li aria-level="1">Rita Rivera: a fairy for the day, advertising the <a href="https://florencegriswoldmuseum.org/wfv-2/">Wee Faerie Village</a> at The Florence Griswold Museum</li>
<li aria-level="1">Amber Stone: bathroom attendant at The Big E and recovery coach from Springfield, MA</li>
<li aria-level="1">Ed Ame: a Chicago native, who spends most of the year traveling and works at the Lost &amp; Found booth at The Big E</li>
<li aria-level="1">James Tackett: a man from Madison, IN, who runs the mini ball booth at The Big E</li>
<li aria-level="1">Darryl Wilson: sales representative for MAAX Swim Spas and Hot Tubs</li>
<li aria-level="1">Melissa Russell: fife player from Bristol, CT, who performs with a fife and drum corps, and spent Connecticut Day with her family at The Big E</li>
<li aria-level="1">John Barrows: printer at Eastern States Exposition</li>
<li aria-level="1">Eugene Cassidy: President and CEO at Eastern States Exposition</li>
<li aria-level="1">Greg: a Faribault, MN, native, who sells blooming onions at The Big E</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kevin Gagliard: Operations Manager at <a href="https://pepespizzeria.com/">Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Lynn Lischke: Newburyport, MA, resident, who sells cream puffs at The Big E</li>
<li aria-level="1">Josh Virkler: owner of <a href="https://www.luannsbakery.com/">Luann&rsquo;s Bakery</a> in Ellington, Stafford, and soon Hartford, CT&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Jackson Panek-Henderson: nine-year-old fairgoer from Newington, CT</li>
<li aria-level="1">Joseph Haag: owner of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/koraandmilascookiedough/">Kora and Mila&rsquo;s Cookie Dough</a> from Plymouth, WI, serving cookie dough on a stick at The Big E</li>
<li aria-level="1">Josh, John, and Henry Pupa: repeat fairgoers from Griswold, CT</li>
</ul>

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood. Guided by deep curiosity and genuine compassion, the team behind Audacious creates space for the kinds of stories that rarely get told - and the kinds of questions we're often afraid to ask. From those speaking publicly for the very first time to voices already known around the world, every guest is met with care, and every story is honored as both deeply personal and profoundly human.

For more: ctpublic.org/audacious

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood. Guided by deep curiosity and genuine compassion, the team behind Audacious creates space for the kinds of stories that rarely get told - and the kinds of questions we're often afraid to ask. From those speaking publicly for the very first time to voices already known around the world, every guest is met with care, and every story is honored as both deeply personal and profoundly human.
For more: <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf">ctpublic.org/audacious</a>

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood. 

Audacious with Chion Wolf

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood.

Guided by deep curiosity and genuine compassion, the team behind Audacious creates space for the kinds of stories that rarely get told - and the kinds of questions we’re often afraid to ask. From those speaking publicly for the very first time to voices already known around the world, every guest is met with care, and every story is honored as both deeply personal and profoundly human.

Listen at ctpublic.org/audacious

Support is provided by a generous contribution from Suzanne Hopgood, in Memory of Frank Lord.

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood.
Guided by deep curiosity and genuine compassion, the team behind Audacious creates space for the kinds of stories that rarely get told - and the kinds of questions we&rsquo;re often afraid to ask. From those speaking publicly for the very first time to voices already known around the world, every guest is met with care, and every story is honored as both deeply personal and profoundly human.
Listen at <a href="http://ctpublic.org/audacious">ctpublic.org/audacious</a>
Support is provided by a generous contribution from Suzanne Hopgood, in Memory of Frank Lord.