Eastern States Exposition loses $330K from canceled events; still planning for fall Big E
Groups have cancelled 31 events, shows and competitions that had been planned for the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, but the fair’s president says he’s confident The Big E itself will go on in five months. On Thursday, the inaugural Hooplandia 3-on-3 basketball tournament — which was expected to bring 10,000 players of all ages to the fairgrounds and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame while injecting $12 million into the local economy — was canceled because of COVID-19. Organizers said they plan to hold the first tournament in 2021 instead.