September 3, 2025 • 37 mins
We kicked off the program with four news stories and different guests on the stories we think you need to know about!
Comcast Supports Small Business Growth, Awarding 100 Grant Packages to Greater Boston Entrepreneurs –Highlighting how Comcast works 1 on 1 with businesses & how the Comcast RISE grant will help winners.
Guests: Becca Fracassa - Director of Community Impact for Comcast’s New England Region & Winner: Rary from Rubato in Quincy, MA
The Topsfield Fair to Host 7th annual hot dog eating contest!
Guest: Marc Freedman – Runs the Hot dog eating contest
Bug Farms! What are they and what do they do? Most are tasked with eating food waste, which in turn they’ll be crushed, dried and sold as an alternative form of protein powder! Guest: Nicolas Rivero – Washington Post Reporter
King Richard’s Faire returns for their 44th season! This year at their new venue, the Edaville Entertainment Venue in Carver, MA. New England’s largest and longest-running Renaissance festival runs weekends August 30 - October 19, 2025.
Guest: Aimée Sedley - King Richard’s Faire General Manager and Producer
Comcast Supports Small Business Growth, Awarding 100 Grant Packages to Greater Boston Entrepreneurs –Highlighting how Comcast works 1 on 1 with businesses & how the Comcast RISE grant will help winners.
Guests: Becca Fracassa - Director of Community Impact for Comcast’s New England Region & Winner: Rary from Rubato in Quincy, MA
The Topsfield Fair to Host 7th annual hot dog eating contest!
Guest: Marc Freedman – Runs the Hot dog eating contest
Bug Farms! What are they and what do they do? Most are tasked with eating food waste, which in turn they’ll be crushed, dried and sold as an alternative form of protein powder! Guest: Nicolas Rivero – Washington Post Reporter
King Richard’s Faire returns for their 44th season! This year at their new venue, the Edaville Entertainment Venue in Carver, MA. New England’s largest and longest-running Renaissance festival runs weekends August 30 - October 19, 2025.
Guest: Aimée Sedley - King Richard’s Faire General Manager and Producer
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's with Dan Ray. I'm going you Razy Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Well, good evening, everybody, Welcome on into a Wednesday. It
is September third. I know it probably feels like a
Tuesday because we all had Labor Day off, but it
is truly a Wednesday. I have double checked with my calendar.
My name is Dan Ray, the host of Nights. I'd
hear every Monday through Friday night from eight until midnight.
Rob Brooks, the producer of this program, is one hundred
(00:29):
percent of the game tonight and he would be with
us all the way till midnight. I hope you will
be as well. But we're going to start off this
first hour with the first of four very interesting guests.
I would love to introduce you to the director of
Community Impact for Comcast New England Region. Her name is
(00:49):
Becca Fracassa Beecca. How are you tonight?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I'm great, Dan, how are you wonderful?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
You guys have a program it's called the Rise Grant
program that's sports small business growth, and you have awarded
one hundred grand packages to Greater Boston entrepreneurs. Just highlighting
how Comcast works one on one with businesses and help
these Rise Grant winners. Tell us about the program, what
(01:16):
exactly does it do?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Absolutely so, and we have. We're so excited. The Comcast
RISE program really feels the growth of American small businesses.
Really the point is to help strengthen local communities. Rise
is a part of something we refer to as Project UPS,
our one billion dollar initiative to connect people to the Internet,
provide an expand digital opportunity, and build a future of
(01:41):
unlimited possibilities for everybody right including all of these entrepreneurs
and business owners. We're awarding one hundred businesses in the
Boston area with a comprehensive grant package that includes a
tech makeover, creative production, a media schedule, so that's a
thirty second commercial with a media schedule to go with it,
educational resources five thousand dollars, and business consultation services. So
(02:06):
thus far in the existence of the program, we're coming
up on celebrating our five year anniversary. The business has
provided a total of one hundred and sixty million in monetary,
marketing and tech resources to fourteen thousand and five hundred
small businesses.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
A number, again, have you provided in five years?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
One hundred and sixty million.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And there were fourteen thousand businesses across the country. Just
not in New England, right, okay, just not fourteen year
as I understand it, there are ten lucky winners this
year here in the excuse me, it's one hundred winners.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
It's not ends, but one hundred yeah around, Yeah, that's
a nice round number.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
And these are folks in what geographic area is it?
Eastern Massachusetts, New England's what's the geographic area?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
So we looked at basically the company typically picks five
major cities across the country, and we said, well, we
want to make it a little bit bigger than the
city of Boston. So it's really an extended version of
the one to twenty eight loop. We went all the
way up to Gloucester and took it all the way
down to Weymouth, and within that footprint we're awarding up
to one hundred recipients. It is phenomenal to be able
(03:27):
to do this in As we looked through those hundred recipients,
we found that there's a really as they were chosen,
there's a common thread between both service industries, so either
food and beverage or health and wellness. There's a lot
of creative and media, services, organizations, education and language and
tech and innovation. So great sort of service oriented and
(03:48):
community oriented recipients. Forty nine of one hundred of them
are based in Boston directly. And the remaining winners, we're
seeing communities, a good group from Cambridge, Gloucester, Lynn and
Quincy across the board. So super proud of the way
this turned out and recipients and really the quality of
small businesses that we're able to support.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Okay, and speaking of Quincy, we have one of the
winners with us.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
I believe we do.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
And I hope I'm going to pronounce the name correctly.
Pronounce your first name is it Rary or Rory?
Speaker 5 (04:23):
You know what, it's Rari like Ferrari.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Rari like Ferrari. I like that? Yes, okay, so Rari uh.
And and you're one of the owners of a restaurant
in Quincy Rari called Rubato. Correct And I hope I
got that right?
Speaker 1 (04:42):
You did?
Speaker 5 (04:43):
You did have that right?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Well, Riri, welcome tonight's side. What does this grant mean
to your restaurant?
Speaker 6 (04:50):
Well?
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Do grant is really transformative for you know, a minority
owned small business like ours. I really think that it
provides critical resources at the stage that we are in
right now that we wouldn't be able to afford otherwise.
And I'm really excited. I think back I said it
earlier specifically about the media package and the television advertising,
(05:17):
because my role at Roberto is really looking at the
marketing in general. And while we've grown a really great
engagement on our social media, just being able to have
that those you know, thirty seconds TV commercial that really
allows us to reach places that we weren't able to
(05:38):
reach before. And as we all know, that is huge
for a small business in a city like Quinsy.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So now let me ask you, since you're here on nightside,
we have a pretty big audience. What type of restaurant
is Roberto? Where's it located? Let's give you a little
plug since you're here.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Yes, absolutely so. Roberto has been opened since August twenty twenty. Once,
we're a pretty young restaurant and we are doing a
modern Hong Kong cafe, so think about like a fast
castle dining in Quincy. And essentially some of our menu
(06:21):
features like really classic food from Hong Kong, like Bolo bows,
Kan gies, Hong Kong milk tea but chef Lawrence, who
is my husband and also of course the co owner
of Roberto. He loves to play on his cravings, so
he does crazy things like adding a fried chicken inside
(06:41):
of the bolobo and things like that.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
So right, look, congratulations on your victory. Let me just
get back to Becca for a second. Becca. How many
people were in competition for these grants? How many people?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
So? Yeah, actually more point.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Than I should say. How many businesses go ahead?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Sure, we received over five hundred applications, and like I said,
we were just thrilled with the quality of folks and
they are the commitment to community that we saw through
throughout the application. So it was a really tough sort
of decision to be able to pull in these hundred businesses.
But we're really proud of what we've come out within
(07:26):
the businesses that we're able to support.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Well, I'll tell you one out of five those are
pretty good odds, better than the current one point four
billion dollars power ball up. But good congratulations to Rari
like Ferrari Roberto Restaurant. Thank you, Becca, Congratulations to you
and will will you be doing it again here in
(07:52):
New England anytime soon?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
We don't know. Every year we pick five cities again,
so we consider where the program needs to go and
how we can make the best impact.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
All right, sounds great, Rebecca, I should say, Becca, thank
you very much. And Robberie Lake Ferrari thank you very
much as well. The best of luck with your restaurant.
And it's a great program. It's a wonderful, wonderful program. Thanks,
thanks very much. Beca see to my friend Mark Goodman.
I know that he's a big supporter of the program.
Thank you much.
Speaker 7 (08:24):
Absolutely.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
All right, we get back. We take a quick little
break here. We get back when to talk about something
quite different, not a not a Hong Kong type restaurant,
but a good old annual hot dog eating contest up
at the Topsfield Fair. This one should be good. And
we're also going to talk about bug farms later. And
(08:46):
we're going to talk about another fair, which is a
tradition here in New England later on this hour, King
Richard's Fair. So if you're looking for, oh, I don't know,
a fair up in north of Boston or a fair
south of Boston down in Carver, you need not worry.
You do not need to go, and do not change
that dial. My name is Dan Ray and this is
Nightside will be right back right after this.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well, when we turned the calendar to Labor Day, most
of us start thinking about fall foliage and events that
are longtime annual events here in New England. And I
don't know how many years the tops Field Fear has
been around, but it's been around for decades with me
is Mark Friedman. Now Mark runs the hot dog eating
(09:38):
contest at the tops Field Fear. Mark. Is that your
sole responsibility or have you been in other capacities with
tops Field Fear over the years.
Speaker 6 (09:49):
Yeah, thanks for having me, Dan, I've been in lots
of capacities. In fact, it is the two hundred and
seventh year of the top Field Fair, so it's been
It's the longest and oldest agricultural fair in the country.
I've actually working at a booth called the Benet Breath
Booth since probably nineteen eighty one. That booth started in
nineteen seventy. It's a permanent booth there. We served Jewish
Fair at the top Shield Fair and it is one
(10:11):
of the busiest booths at the fair and one of
our signature items. Happens to be the quarter pound Hebrew
National hot Dog, and about seven years ago we started
the idea about having a hot dog eating contest. He
has turned into a phenomenon.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Okay, I assume this is a kosher hot.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Dog, right, the hot dog is a kosher Hebrew National
hot dog.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Cod just it make it sure?
Speaker 6 (10:33):
Okay, Now it's all beef, not that wimpy Nathan's hot dog.
You know that these guys in Tony Island to eat, Well,
that's what I.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Was going to ask you. I wondered if any of
those they're like professional hot dog eaters. Are you concerned
about a ringer coming in from New York.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
And believe it or not. Believe it or not, Dan,
we have had some professional food eaters come to our
contest in years before I didn't realize how big the
food eating competition world really is. I mean it is
wide and vast.
Speaker 7 (11:09):
I mean you can see who can eat the most
spinach in the any those.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Seven minutes, or hot dogs, anything is out there.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Anything. As a matter of fact, there's a there's some
competitors who live here in New England who go down
and compete at Nathan's. One guy who I believe is
a high school teacher. He's he's out of one of
the communities near Worcester. I'm not going to call him
out at whatever, but uh, you better watch out for
him because because he he does very well. So these
(11:35):
hot dogs, it sounds to me like if you're calling
the Nathan dogs a little whimpy. I know what you
mean when you say that these are like all beef
hot dogs. These are these are substantial hot dogs your heart.
Speaker 6 (11:49):
Think about the hot dog you get at Costco or BJ's.
It's the quarter pound all beef hot dogs. It's the
real deal, and it comes with the role.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Well, yeah, I would assume we're gonna put the mustard
in and the relashift a.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
Role, right, Yeah, Look, if you want to put on
the condiments, be my guest. But I eat as much
as they want.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Okay, So what what is the the record for this?
This is a seventh annual hot dog eating contest. And
by the way, I look, the tops Field Fear is
of course so much more. But we're focusing and we
may focus on another a couple of the events here
just to make people with their appetites as it were. Uh,
(12:34):
what what is the state what do you think is
gonna win? What's the over under on the winner?
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Well, right now, the record eating amount is ten hot
dogs in seven minutes with the role, which equates to
well two and a half pounds of hot dogs in
seven minutes.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
And did that person whoever holds the record.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
He calls it down to.
Speaker 8 (13:02):
Okay, it really does?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You read my mind? You read my mind?
Speaker 6 (13:05):
Yeah, but I'll tell you what happens is by the way,
this event will happen on Saturday, October fourth at three
o'clock at the Tree and on stage. It's one of
the busiest days of the fair and literally thousands of
people will come out to watch this event.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Well, this is you know, you know what this sounds
to me like I don't want to, you know, be
sarcastic here, but this sounds to me like it's a
super Bowl event. So it's like everybody's in front of
the TV sets, you know, on that that you know,
Sunday night in February at six o'clock when the Super
Bowl happens to cap off the the NFL football season,
(13:42):
which starts this weekend of course, or actually I think
it starts tomorrow night. But so this is a major
hot dog eating contest, and you're gonna have a big
crowd up there.
Speaker 6 (13:53):
The crowds, the music, the fan fare, the enthusiasm is huge.
But you know what most people come to see. They
come for the train wreck.
Speaker 7 (14:01):
They come to the guy that thinks he can eat
it all and then about six minutes in and realize, nope,
it's not staying down.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
They come for the train wreck.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Okay, okay. So so that is with with with all
due respect of friends of mine who are NASCAR fans,
that is also said about NASCAR. They don't go for
the race, but they go to see the crashes.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
So well, yeah, but there are there are some years
where there's none of the years where there's plenty, and
we're prepared for that. We have the we have all
the appropriate people that are there to support us if
ever there is an issue. But it's usually a lot
of fun, a lot of cheering, a lot of crowds.
People bring, you know, cheering groups to come along.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
And of course, of course, I mean do these people
they must train for something like this, This is this
is not something that someone's going to decide on the
morning of October fifth. There must be a training regimen
that these folks submit that.
Speaker 6 (14:58):
Dan, I think you're wrong on that one. I think
these people at two point thirty.
Speaker 7 (15:02):
We are coaxing these people to get up on the
stage and they go, oh, I can.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
Eat more hot dogs than the next guy, and they'll
get me.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Ask you one other important question is any alcohol sold
at the top Field Fair in advance of this event
that might help people lose some of their inhibitions if
they're a little shy about participating in the event.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
The answer is, there is a beer garden, a bunch
new beer garden at the top Field Fair. I'm not
convinced that many people go drinking, because I think you
want to have your stomach.
Speaker 7 (15:33):
As empty as possible for this feast.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
No. I understand the strategy. I get it. I'm into
strategy in all things, that's for sure. But it's a
top Steel fair. Remind me how the fear is open
for It's a good couple of weekends and a weekend between. Correct, well,
how long when's the fair open up? This year?
Speaker 6 (15:54):
The Farewell open up on Friday, October third. It opens
up in the afternoon and then it continues for another
eleven days until Monday. Columbus Day, which is the last day,
So you're right. It is over two weekends, probably a
half a million people will walk through the turnstiles.
Speaker 8 (16:07):
At the fair.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
I continue to encourage anybody who wants to go to
the fair to buy your tickets early, buy your food
vouchers early, by your parking passes early, because they are
available at discounts. But when you show up the day
of the fair, you're going to pay full price. But
there's lots of opportunity to get discounted tickets.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Well, that's great. And the other thing which I'd like
to mention, and I think I'm correct when I say this,
a lot of the folks who participate at the fair
and work at the fear are actually volunteers. And I'm
not sure if you're a volunteer or not, But am
I correct when when I say.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
That, Yeah, you are right.
Speaker 6 (16:42):
There are a lot of volunteers that work at the fair.
But there's also a lot of people that do get paid.
My booth, the bene bristbooth, which staffs over two hundred
and eighty people over the eleven days, is one hundred
percent volunteers.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
That's great.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
I mean, on our array of food is something that
creates and lines and lines of people because I believe
we've got really great quality food. We have very attractive
prices compared to some of the prices you might see
at any type of fare or amusement facility. We're volunteered,
so we can keep our prices low and people appreciate that, right.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
And then the other thing that's great about not only
your fear, but any other fears here in New England.
You know, once the cold weather and winter moves in,
we lose these beautiful sunny, you know, sun dapple days
of late September and early October. So Mark, I want
to thank you very much for joining us tonight. I
wish all the best. Mon Ay Birth is a great organization,
(17:35):
you know, does a lot of great charitable work, and
I hope that you have some really competitive hot dog
eaters and maybe set a new record for.
Speaker 6 (17:44):
The we do too, Dan And if people would like
to sign up for the hot dog eating contest in advance,
they can go to the Topsfield Fair website that's Topsfield
Fear dot org. There is no cost to be a participant,
so the first twelve to fifteen people to sign up
you're in you just have to for it and we'll
make it all happen.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
So wayseec now is this you cap the participants. There's
not like you have a preliminary and then a runoff.
Speaker 7 (18:09):
It's I can't do that.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
Now.
Speaker 6 (18:11):
It's over and done with, very very quickly at three o'clock.
Speaker 8 (18:15):
On Saturday the fourth.
Speaker 6 (18:17):
Just line them all up.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
People scream.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
And by the way, there is a prize, so we
will be giving a check for two hundred and seven
dollars that's donated by the Bena Breathbooth to the winner.
So that two hundred and seven dollars represents the number
of years the Top Sealed Fair has been in existence.
We started with two hundred and have moved up right
along the way.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Sounds great, boy, that's great, great Mark. I love your enthusiasm.
You've been a great guest and I wish all the
best of luck this year. And stay clear all we
stay behind the hot dog eaters. That just that would
be my tip to the WYSE if you.
Speaker 7 (18:48):
Know what I'm saying, you got it.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Thanks a left, Dan, appreciate it.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Will we get back right after the news at the
bottom of the hour, we're going to talk about and
this one is really interesting. We're talking with the Washington
Post reporters. Name is Nicholas Rivero about bug farms. Yeah,
bug farms. This is one that would turn your stomach.
But that's okay. We're going to talk about it. Stay
with us, don't be discoveraged. Coming back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
It's Nightside, Foston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
All right, we are continuing along here and we are
about to talk about something that well, we're gonna be
very careful here. We have Nicholas Rivero with us. He's
a Washington Post reporter. Hey, Nicholas, welcome to Nightside.
Speaker 8 (19:35):
How are you not bad? Thank you for having me
on the show.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Dan. I read your piece in the Post. The world's
biggest bug farm is turning food waste into protein. This
is in France, where they have very you know, sensitive
palettes in France. I guess if they can deal with
it in France, we can deal with us here. Give
(19:59):
a these the uh, the understandable explanation of what we're
talking about here. This is not like chocolate covered ants.
That's not what we're talking about.
Speaker 8 (20:09):
No, and you know, I feel like I should stay
at the start. They're they're farming bugs. It's it's bugs.
It's fly larva is the term they use in the industry,
but we can call it what it is. That's a maggot. Yeah,
but this is this is not for human consumption. Here.
They're grown these bugs basically to use their protein and
(20:32):
their fat as ingredients and animal feed to feed the
farmed fish. And it's like pet food attitives. Basically.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
It sounds like dog abuse to me. I'm telling you
do not feeding mustard the dog my daughter's.
Speaker 8 (20:48):
I can't speak for him. They say the dogs like
it apparently, Well.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
You know, we eat things that aren't good for us
as well as human beings. Go ahead, By the way,
I must tell you my one and only experience with maggots.
And I've never told this story on the radio before,
but I want to tell you this. My first job
as a kid, I worked as a bag boy for
a local supermarket chain, and there's always an initiation fee.
(21:16):
They sent me out back to clean up near the dumpster.
What they knew and I didn't, was that because of
the heat of the day, there was a big slab
of cardboard which was on the ground and percolating underneath
that looked like a maggot farm. I picked up that
(21:38):
big piece of cardboard, and let me tell you, I
didn't lose it, but I came pretty close. Go ahead,
I'm not going to continue with your explanation. Ahead.
Speaker 8 (21:48):
That's great for anybody in the late dinner.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Oh yes, well, we have people all across the country.
So there are people in the Midwest who are having dinner,
people in the Mountain States who are still preparing dinner,
people in the Pacific time zone who have no interest
in eating dinner. Having listened to us.
Speaker 8 (22:06):
Ahead, well, so this farm, it's uh, it's really it's
amazing to see because I don't really know how to
convey the size of it other than to say that
what they've got in there, they're grown flies. Really, what
they want is the larva. The larva is full of
all this protein, all this fatt all this but they
have basically three hundred and fifty million flies on the farm.
(22:29):
Then the flies have ten billion little larva crawling around.
It's like a massive think of like a massive industrial facility.
And what wild is they're basically combining. You know, millions
and millions of years of evolution made these bugs really
good at eating anything. You feed them and turning it
into protein and fat. They're kind of mass and they're
(22:52):
combining that like you know, super high tech like automation
and like factory assembly line stuff that's super efficient. So
it's like the most efficient way you could possibly imagine
to take what they're feeding these bugs, which is food waste.
I mean it's stuff that would otherwise be thrown away, Yeah,
and turning that into protein.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Yeah. That's every time that I go to the dump,
I marvel at how many other cars are ahead of
me and behind me, and a lot of it is
food waste. Obviously, people don't do compost piles, so this
is the equivalent of the biggest compost pile in Europe.
It sounds to me like right.
Speaker 8 (23:30):
Yeah, pretty much. And like what they've done is they've
built this thing right next to a food processing facility,
so it takes in wheat. It's in the middle of
this giant, you know area that's growing a bunch of
wheats and it all comes into this one wheat processing
plant and they turn that into starch and ethanol all
this stuff. At the end of it, they've got stuff
left over, you know, chaff, and this thing called stillage,
(23:52):
which is a combination of water and whatever's left over
from their processing. And so what they do is they
just pipe that over. There's a pipe that runs directly
from that factory over into this bug farm, and the
bugs just eat that stuff. And they can eat anything
pretty much. But you know, you can put it next
to any food processing facility and they take the waste
(24:14):
from it and they eat it and they turn it
into protein, kind of kind of.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Like my my my late great uncle Harry, who could
eat anything. Yeah. Yeah, did you have a chance to
visit this location? I know that the Washington Post is
a great futu national newspaper. I hope you got at
least a trip and a dinner in Paris.
Speaker 8 (24:35):
That's right, I was. I did go visit it, and
I've kind of tell you I ate very well on
the trip. Have any bugs while I was visiting the
Bucks Farm? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (24:47):
I hope you got to say it was its uh
the Always Song because is still the biggest hotel in Paris,
if I'm not misaken, Yeah, I hope you. Well again
you but you should have gotten combat pay for this.
Let me tell you something, because you have to have
a man of a strong spine and strong stomach to
(25:08):
to actually the piece if anyone wants to read, it's
pretty comprehensive. By the way, I admire how much work
you put into it. The world's biggest bug farm is
turning food waste into protein. That's the name of it,
and it's Nicholas ROVERO R I V E R O. Nicholas.
I enjoyed our conversation. I don't necessarily can honestly tell
(25:31):
you that I enjoyed the topic of our conversation, but
you know, I enjoyed the conversation nonetheless, and I'd love
to have you back anytime. Are you a food reporter
there or you you must be like the science reporter.
Speaker 8 (25:44):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. I'm not in the food more on
the science side.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Yeah. No, I get it. I totally get it. Hey,
I really enjoyed it, man, I did. You got a
great sense of humor? You you you played, you played, Welton.
I thank you much.
Speaker 8 (25:57):
All right, have a good night.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
All right, Nicholas, say hi to all my friends of
the Washington postwam me whatever you see anyone, talk to
you later. All right. We I'm back going to talk
about King Richard's Fair. It's been around here in New England.
Not quite as long as the top Field Fair, but
this is the forty fourth season and King Richards Fair
I've been to several times, many years ago, but it
is a delightful It's in a new venue, the Edaville
(26:21):
Entertainment Venue in Carver, Massachusetts, New England's largest and longest
running Renaissance Fair. Festival runs weekends August thirtieth through October ninth.
This is one of the good things about living in
New England. We're going to talk with Amy Sedley, she's
the fairs general manager right after this break here on Nightside.
It is a Wednesday night. I need to remind you
it's not Tuesday. It's Wednesday.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray, Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
King Richard's Fair is returning here to southeastern Massachusetts for
their forty fourth season, this time down at the Edaville
Entertainment Venue in Carver, Massachusetts. With us is May Sedley.
Speaker 8 (27:03):
May.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
I'm sorry I mispronounced your name previously. How are you?
You had? The general manager and the producer of King
Richard's Fair. Welcome to Night's Side.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Well, thank you for having us, having us having me.
I'm very excited to be on on the radio with you.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
So, how long you've been with King Richards Fair. I
used to go there when my kids were young, back
in the early to mid nineties. It was always a
lot of fun.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Well, it's interesting, I guess I'd like to say I've
been with the Fair forever because my parents created it
and started it, and then I have been producing it
for the past thirty years.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Well they cared. They also created you and started you.
When you think about it as.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
Well, exactly right. It it's been a really long time,
so really long time.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
So you got a new venue this year. Eataville Entertainment
is the sure do. I think everybody knows what Eaterville
Railroad is. That's what we call it here in Massachusetts. Yeah,
what caused the switch to Ediville? It's a great.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
Location, by the way, Oh well, thank you. Well, a
couple of things. One, it was literally just a mile
and a half down the road from our existing venue,
which my parents created from raw woods, and it was
a natural place to try to purchase, which we did.
And then it just became a thing where it was like,
(28:25):
you know what we're going to do this, We're going
to move and now we have this great venue and
I've renamed it to Ediville Entertainment Venue, where it'll be
the new home for King Richard's Fair, as well as
continuing the tradition of the Ediville Christmas Festival of Lights.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Oh that's great, I've done that. I've done that as well.
The thing that is neat about the fair, at least
from my perspective, was the characters who were around the people.
And I say people because it could be men, could
be women who did the jousting on horses. I mean
it's I assume all of that is still available, you know,
(29:04):
to be seen as you mosy throughout the fairgrounds.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
Oh absolutely. I mean the neat part of this is
that we're a very immersive event. It's interactive. You have
performers and artisans and everyone interacting with you throughout the
entire day. So none of that part has changed it all.
We have better acts, more acts, we have more food
and beverage locations. We have an indoor adult bar where
(29:32):
you can actually belly up like to a tavern that
you could have done in the sixteenth century. So it's
just a wonderful, wonderful location for us, and just again
down the street. So it's wonderful all over.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
So I got a couple of questions, and I'm I
get I'm made of living my entire life in television
and radio just asking questions. And one of the questions
that I always had was how difficult is it every
year to assemble your cast of characters? I mean, I
assume that these folks not only do King Richard's Fair
(30:08):
here in Massachusetts, but they probably do the same or
similar type activities around. There must be a group of
people who you who you have on your rolodex. I'm
assuming you know you don't go out into the streets
of Plymouth and say, hey, would you like to be
a would you like to ride a horse and engage
in a joust?
Speaker 4 (30:31):
Well, I think, first of all, when we say rolodex,
I think it dates us both.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
No, I know, but I like the imagery. I get it,
no problem.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
I'm with you. I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
You know what.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
I'll be honest with you. It takes an entire year
just to build this show.
Speaker 8 (30:49):
It is.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
We have artisans, we have performers that come from all
over the country, and You're right, there are some that
are on what we call like the Renaissance fair circuit
where they go to a different show and they're on,
you know, from our show to another show, to another
show and then back to our show. However, we have
a lot of people that are locals that have regular,
(31:10):
normal day jobs and then they're also performers on the weekend,
and they're professional actors, but they also have normal, regular jobs.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Okay, so let's talk about just paint the picture for us.
If someone's never been to King King Richard's Fair, give
us a sense in may about some of the things
that they will behold as they as they peruse the grounds.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
Sure, so the whole concept is you look at you
come and you escape your reality. So forget your phones,
forget your business, forget all the heartache or difficulties that
can be in life, and you walk through our gates
and you're kind of like transferred back to the sixteenth century.
(31:59):
So you have all these fabulous performers interacting with you
throughout the day. You get to shop from artisans that
come from all over the country and they make their wares.
They're handmade wears, whether it's weapons or leatherwork or clothing
or face painting or Hannah or jewelry and you get
to eat the most wonderful, scrumptious foods and you just
(32:23):
enjoy your day outside. You know, we have over nine
stages that you can see acts throughout the day. You
get to shop and you get to just escape, which
is really what the goal is. You know, so many
of us are on our phones all the time, and
the one thing that's been so amazing is that you
(32:45):
look and yeah, you know, people want to take pictures
with the performers, but for the rest of the time,
they're not on their phones. They are literally enjoying themselves
in real lifetime.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Do the performers stay in character? I know that there
are some locales, even some close to where you are,
where the performers do not break character. They remain in
the fifteenth century or whichever century they're up. It is.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Yes, it's you know, that's what we hope, that's what
we hope. You know, there are some shows where you
have to, you know, be that character from head to toe,
with the hat to the shoes. We are much more
fun and fantasy in sixteenth century. So yes, do our
characters do our performers? Do they remain in character? Yes,
(33:37):
we hope so because that's the escapism. However, you're not
feeling uncomfortable being around this. You feel like you're just
immersed in the experience.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Okay. And one of the things that I always enjoyed
watching was the jousting where the performers were actually on horseback.
It looked to me pretty real, okay, and.
Speaker 4 (34:04):
Well, and you know what, you know what, Dan, it
should because these are professional stuntmen and this troop that
has been with us has been with us for over
fifty years, and so they are professionals. They are in character,
but again, this is what they do for a living.
And then another thing that we added this year, which
(34:25):
is very exciting, is we have an acrobatic equestrian show
that happens in between our jousting.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
With with with the horses.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
Yes, with the horses.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
So that sounds like something to say if the horses
doing broadwheels. I assume it's not quite like that.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
Right, Well, it's it's pretty amazing. Okay, I'm not gonna lie,
it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 7 (34:54):
Yeah, that's great.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
What's your favorite part? You I know you're going to
tell me everything's your favorite part, But then there must
be something that that is that just hits it for you.
What what is it?
Speaker 4 (35:07):
Well, you know, growing up in this business and doing
everything that I have done in this business, which is
literally everything. My greatest pleasure is to you know, we
work so hard all year long to plan this event
and make this event happen. So to watch people coming
(35:28):
through our gate and being happy and smiling and enjoying,
that's what makes me the happiest.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
And make no mistake about it, this is a full
time job for you. This is not something that you
pick up in late August and say, yeah, we got
to pull things together again.
Speaker 7 (35:43):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
This this is something that that that basically is your
job twelve months a year getting rid of and preparing
and coming up with new ideas well to may thank
you very much. I really enjoyed it talking. I really
enjoyed talking with you, and I I could not recommend
it more highly. When my children were young, they loved it.
(36:05):
And uh, we've got a couple of grandkids who are
probably a little a little too soon, but one of
these years you'll see see me down there with a
couple of grandchildren. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Well, I sure hope. So it's a very generational type
of thing. So I appreciate you having us on, and
I hope you come down to see our new realm.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
And so and so you'll recognize me. I'll bring my
roll index with me.
Speaker 7 (36:26):
Okay, I'll bring mine to not talking.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
About a watch here. By the way, folks earth, there's
anyone who was confused, thanks to may appreciate it very much.
Speaker 4 (36:35):
Thank you so much. Dan.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Okay, all right, we get back. We are We are
coming back, and we're going to talk about a controversy
that we've covered before, and we'll cover it from both
sides tonight and then on Friday night about a huge
contract that has been bid by bid out by Massachusetts
and there's a controversy over who the winning bid is.
(36:58):
We'll get to all of that, and we are going
to be talking with the president and CEO of a
company called Global Partners, which you probably know also as
Global Oil, longtime Massachusetts company Forts Generation. We'll explain that,
and we will talk on Friday night with a representative
of the other side of this controversy. Coming back on
Nightside right after the nine o'clock news
It's with Dan Ray. I'm going you Razy Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Well, good evening, everybody, Welcome on into a Wednesday. It
is September third. I know it probably feels like a
Tuesday because we all had Labor Day off, but it
is truly a Wednesday. I have double checked with my calendar.
My name is Dan Ray, the host of Nights. I'd
hear every Monday through Friday night from eight until midnight.
Rob Brooks, the producer of this program, is one hundred
(00:29):
percent of the game tonight and he would be with
us all the way till midnight. I hope you will
be as well. But we're going to start off this
first hour with the first of four very interesting guests.
I would love to introduce you to the director of
Community Impact for Comcast New England Region. Her name is
(00:49):
Becca Fracassa Beecca. How are you tonight?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I'm great, Dan, how are you wonderful?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
You guys have a program it's called the Rise Grant
program that's sports small business growth, and you have awarded
one hundred grand packages to Greater Boston entrepreneurs. Just highlighting
how Comcast works one on one with businesses and help
these Rise Grant winners. Tell us about the program, what
(01:16):
exactly does it do?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Absolutely so, and we have. We're so excited. The Comcast
RISE program really feels the growth of American small businesses.
Really the point is to help strengthen local communities. Rise
is a part of something we refer to as Project UPS,
our one billion dollar initiative to connect people to the Internet,
provide an expand digital opportunity, and build a future of
(01:41):
unlimited possibilities for everybody right including all of these entrepreneurs
and business owners. We're awarding one hundred businesses in the
Boston area with a comprehensive grant package that includes a
tech makeover, creative production, a media schedule, so that's a
thirty second commercial with a media schedule to go with it,
educational resources five thousand dollars, and business consultation services. So
(02:06):
thus far in the existence of the program, we're coming
up on celebrating our five year anniversary. The business has
provided a total of one hundred and sixty million in monetary,
marketing and tech resources to fourteen thousand and five hundred
small businesses.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
A number, again, have you provided in five years?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
One hundred and sixty million.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And there were fourteen thousand businesses across the country. Just
not in New England, right, okay, just not fourteen year
as I understand it, there are ten lucky winners this
year here in the excuse me, it's one hundred winners.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
It's not ends, but one hundred yeah around, Yeah, that's
a nice round number.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
And these are folks in what geographic area is it?
Eastern Massachusetts, New England's what's the geographic area?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
So we looked at basically the company typically picks five
major cities across the country, and we said, well, we
want to make it a little bit bigger than the
city of Boston. So it's really an extended version of
the one to twenty eight loop. We went all the
way up to Gloucester and took it all the way
down to Weymouth, and within that footprint we're awarding up
to one hundred recipients. It is phenomenal to be able
(03:27):
to do this in As we looked through those hundred recipients,
we found that there's a really as they were chosen,
there's a common thread between both service industries, so either
food and beverage or health and wellness. There's a lot
of creative and media, services, organizations, education and language and
tech and innovation. So great sort of service oriented and
(03:48):
community oriented recipients. Forty nine of one hundred of them
are based in Boston directly. And the remaining winners, we're
seeing communities, a good group from Cambridge, Gloucester, Lynn and
Quincy across the board. So super proud of the way
this turned out and recipients and really the quality of
small businesses that we're able to support.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Okay, and speaking of Quincy, we have one of the
winners with us.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
I believe we do.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
And I hope I'm going to pronounce the name correctly.
Pronounce your first name is it Rary or Rory?
Speaker 5 (04:23):
You know what, it's Rari like Ferrari.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Rari like Ferrari. I like that? Yes, okay, so Rari uh.
And and you're one of the owners of a restaurant
in Quincy Rari called Rubato. Correct And I hope I
got that right?
Speaker 1 (04:42):
You did?
Speaker 5 (04:43):
You did have that right?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Well, Riri, welcome tonight's side. What does this grant mean
to your restaurant?
Speaker 6 (04:50):
Well?
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Do grant is really transformative for you know, a minority
owned small business like ours. I really think that it
provides critical resources at the stage that we are in
right now that we wouldn't be able to afford otherwise.
And I'm really excited. I think back I said it
earlier specifically about the media package and the television advertising,
(05:17):
because my role at Roberto is really looking at the
marketing in general. And while we've grown a really great
engagement on our social media, just being able to have
that those you know, thirty seconds TV commercial that really
allows us to reach places that we weren't able to
(05:38):
reach before. And as we all know, that is huge
for a small business in a city like Quinsy.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So now let me ask you, since you're here on nightside,
we have a pretty big audience. What type of restaurant
is Roberto? Where's it located? Let's give you a little
plug since you're here.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Yes, absolutely so. Roberto has been opened since August twenty twenty. Once,
we're a pretty young restaurant and we are doing a
modern Hong Kong cafe, so think about like a fast
castle dining in Quincy. And essentially some of our menu
(06:21):
features like really classic food from Hong Kong, like Bolo bows,
Kan gies, Hong Kong milk tea but chef Lawrence, who
is my husband and also of course the co owner
of Roberto. He loves to play on his cravings, so
he does crazy things like adding a fried chicken inside
(06:41):
of the bolobo and things like that.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
So right, look, congratulations on your victory. Let me just
get back to Becca for a second. Becca. How many
people were in competition for these grants? How many people?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
So? Yeah, actually more point.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Than I should say. How many businesses go ahead?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Sure, we received over five hundred applications, and like I said,
we were just thrilled with the quality of folks and
they are the commitment to community that we saw through
throughout the application. So it was a really tough sort
of decision to be able to pull in these hundred businesses.
But we're really proud of what we've come out within
(07:26):
the businesses that we're able to support.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Well, I'll tell you one out of five those are
pretty good odds, better than the current one point four
billion dollars power ball up. But good congratulations to Rari
like Ferrari Roberto Restaurant. Thank you, Becca, Congratulations to you
and will will you be doing it again here in
(07:52):
New England anytime soon?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
We don't know. Every year we pick five cities again,
so we consider where the program needs to go and
how we can make the best impact.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
All right, sounds great, Rebecca, I should say, Becca, thank
you very much. And Robberie Lake Ferrari thank you very
much as well. The best of luck with your restaurant.
And it's a great program. It's a wonderful, wonderful program. Thanks,
thanks very much. Beca see to my friend Mark Goodman.
I know that he's a big supporter of the program.
Thank you much.
Speaker 7 (08:24):
Absolutely.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
All right, we get back. We take a quick little
break here. We get back when to talk about something
quite different, not a not a Hong Kong type restaurant,
but a good old annual hot dog eating contest up
at the Topsfield Fair. This one should be good. And
we're also going to talk about bug farms later. And
(08:46):
we're going to talk about another fair, which is a
tradition here in New England later on this hour, King
Richard's Fair. So if you're looking for, oh, I don't know,
a fair up in north of Boston or a fair
south of Boston down in Carver, you need not worry.
You do not need to go, and do not change
that dial. My name is Dan Ray and this is
Nightside will be right back right after this.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well, when we turned the calendar to Labor Day, most
of us start thinking about fall foliage and events that
are longtime annual events here in New England. And I
don't know how many years the tops Field Fear has
been around, but it's been around for decades with me
is Mark Friedman. Now Mark runs the hot dog eating
(09:38):
contest at the tops Field Fear. Mark. Is that your
sole responsibility or have you been in other capacities with
tops Field Fear over the years.
Speaker 6 (09:49):
Yeah, thanks for having me, Dan, I've been in lots
of capacities. In fact, it is the two hundred and
seventh year of the top Field Fair, so it's been
It's the longest and oldest agricultural fair in the country.
I've actually working at a booth called the Benet Breath
Booth since probably nineteen eighty one. That booth started in
nineteen seventy. It's a permanent booth there. We served Jewish
Fair at the top Shield Fair and it is one
(10:11):
of the busiest booths at the fair and one of
our signature items. Happens to be the quarter pound Hebrew
National hot Dog, and about seven years ago we started
the idea about having a hot dog eating contest. He
has turned into a phenomenon.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Okay, I assume this is a kosher hot.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Dog, right, the hot dog is a kosher Hebrew National
hot dog.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Cod just it make it sure?
Speaker 6 (10:33):
Okay, Now it's all beef, not that wimpy Nathan's hot dog.
You know that these guys in Tony Island to eat, Well,
that's what I.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Was going to ask you. I wondered if any of
those they're like professional hot dog eaters. Are you concerned
about a ringer coming in from New York.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
And believe it or not. Believe it or not, Dan,
we have had some professional food eaters come to our
contest in years before I didn't realize how big the
food eating competition world really is. I mean it is
wide and vast.
Speaker 7 (11:09):
I mean you can see who can eat the most
spinach in the any those.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Seven minutes, or hot dogs, anything is out there.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Anything. As a matter of fact, there's a there's some
competitors who live here in New England who go down
and compete at Nathan's. One guy who I believe is
a high school teacher. He's he's out of one of
the communities near Worcester. I'm not going to call him
out at whatever, but uh, you better watch out for
him because because he he does very well. So these
(11:35):
hot dogs, it sounds to me like if you're calling
the Nathan dogs a little whimpy. I know what you
mean when you say that these are like all beef
hot dogs. These are these are substantial hot dogs your heart.
Speaker 6 (11:49):
Think about the hot dog you get at Costco or BJ's.
It's the quarter pound all beef hot dogs. It's the
real deal, and it comes with the role.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Well, yeah, I would assume we're gonna put the mustard
in and the relashift a.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
Role, right, Yeah, Look, if you want to put on
the condiments, be my guest. But I eat as much
as they want.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Okay, So what what is the the record for this?
This is a seventh annual hot dog eating contest. And
by the way, I look, the tops Field Fear is
of course so much more. But we're focusing and we
may focus on another a couple of the events here
just to make people with their appetites as it were. Uh,
(12:34):
what what is the state what do you think is
gonna win? What's the over under on the winner?
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Well, right now, the record eating amount is ten hot
dogs in seven minutes with the role, which equates to
well two and a half pounds of hot dogs in
seven minutes.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
And did that person whoever holds the record.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
He calls it down to.
Speaker 8 (13:02):
Okay, it really does?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You read my mind? You read my mind?
Speaker 6 (13:05):
Yeah, but I'll tell you what happens is by the way,
this event will happen on Saturday, October fourth at three
o'clock at the Tree and on stage. It's one of
the busiest days of the fair and literally thousands of
people will come out to watch this event.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Well, this is you know, you know what this sounds
to me like I don't want to, you know, be
sarcastic here, but this sounds to me like it's a
super Bowl event. So it's like everybody's in front of
the TV sets, you know, on that that you know,
Sunday night in February at six o'clock when the Super
Bowl happens to cap off the the NFL football season,
(13:42):
which starts this weekend of course, or actually I think
it starts tomorrow night. But so this is a major
hot dog eating contest, and you're gonna have a big
crowd up there.
Speaker 6 (13:53):
The crowds, the music, the fan fare, the enthusiasm is huge.
But you know what most people come to see. They
come for the train wreck.
Speaker 7 (14:01):
They come to the guy that thinks he can eat
it all and then about six minutes in and realize, nope,
it's not staying down.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
They come for the train wreck.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Okay, okay. So so that is with with with all
due respect of friends of mine who are NASCAR fans,
that is also said about NASCAR. They don't go for
the race, but they go to see the crashes.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
So well, yeah, but there are there are some years
where there's none of the years where there's plenty, and
we're prepared for that. We have the we have all
the appropriate people that are there to support us if
ever there is an issue. But it's usually a lot
of fun, a lot of cheering, a lot of crowds.
People bring, you know, cheering groups to come along.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
And of course, of course, I mean do these people
they must train for something like this, This is this
is not something that someone's going to decide on the
morning of October fifth. There must be a training regimen
that these folks submit that.
Speaker 6 (14:58):
Dan, I think you're wrong on that one. I think
these people at two point thirty.
Speaker 7 (15:02):
We are coaxing these people to get up on the
stage and they go, oh, I can.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
Eat more hot dogs than the next guy, and they'll
get me.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Ask you one other important question is any alcohol sold
at the top Field Fair in advance of this event
that might help people lose some of their inhibitions if
they're a little shy about participating in the event.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
The answer is, there is a beer garden, a bunch
new beer garden at the top Field Fair. I'm not
convinced that many people go drinking, because I think you
want to have your stomach.
Speaker 7 (15:33):
As empty as possible for this feast.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
No. I understand the strategy. I get it. I'm into
strategy in all things, that's for sure. But it's a
top Steel fair. Remind me how the fear is open
for It's a good couple of weekends and a weekend between. Correct, well,
how long when's the fair open up? This year?
Speaker 6 (15:54):
The Farewell open up on Friday, October third. It opens
up in the afternoon and then it continues for another
eleven days until Monday. Columbus Day, which is the last day,
So you're right. It is over two weekends, probably a
half a million people will walk through the turnstiles.
Speaker 8 (16:07):
At the fair.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
I continue to encourage anybody who wants to go to
the fair to buy your tickets early, buy your food
vouchers early, by your parking passes early, because they are
available at discounts. But when you show up the day
of the fair, you're going to pay full price. But
there's lots of opportunity to get discounted tickets.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Well, that's great. And the other thing which I'd like
to mention, and I think I'm correct when I say this,
a lot of the folks who participate at the fair
and work at the fear are actually volunteers. And I'm
not sure if you're a volunteer or not, But am
I correct when when I say.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
That, Yeah, you are right.
Speaker 6 (16:42):
There are a lot of volunteers that work at the fair.
But there's also a lot of people that do get paid.
My booth, the bene bristbooth, which staffs over two hundred
and eighty people over the eleven days, is one hundred
percent volunteers.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
That's great.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
I mean, on our array of food is something that
creates and lines and lines of people because I believe
we've got really great quality food. We have very attractive
prices compared to some of the prices you might see
at any type of fare or amusement facility. We're volunteered,
so we can keep our prices low and people appreciate that, right.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
And then the other thing that's great about not only
your fear, but any other fears here in New England.
You know, once the cold weather and winter moves in,
we lose these beautiful sunny, you know, sun dapple days
of late September and early October. So Mark, I want
to thank you very much for joining us tonight. I
wish all the best. Mon Ay Birth is a great organization,
(17:35):
you know, does a lot of great charitable work, and
I hope that you have some really competitive hot dog
eaters and maybe set a new record for.
Speaker 6 (17:44):
The we do too, Dan And if people would like
to sign up for the hot dog eating contest in advance,
they can go to the Topsfield Fair website that's Topsfield
Fear dot org. There is no cost to be a participant,
so the first twelve to fifteen people to sign up
you're in you just have to for it and we'll
make it all happen.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
So wayseec now is this you cap the participants. There's
not like you have a preliminary and then a runoff.
Speaker 7 (18:09):
It's I can't do that.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
Now.
Speaker 6 (18:11):
It's over and done with, very very quickly at three o'clock.
Speaker 8 (18:15):
On Saturday the fourth.
Speaker 6 (18:17):
Just line them all up.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
People scream.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
And by the way, there is a prize, so we
will be giving a check for two hundred and seven
dollars that's donated by the Bena Breathbooth to the winner.
So that two hundred and seven dollars represents the number
of years the Top Sealed Fair has been in existence.
We started with two hundred and have moved up right
along the way.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Sounds great, boy, that's great, great Mark. I love your enthusiasm.
You've been a great guest and I wish all the
best of luck this year. And stay clear all we
stay behind the hot dog eaters. That just that would
be my tip to the WYSE if you.
Speaker 7 (18:48):
Know what I'm saying, you got it.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Thanks a left, Dan, appreciate it.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Will we get back right after the news at the
bottom of the hour, we're going to talk about and
this one is really interesting. We're talking with the Washington
Post reporters. Name is Nicholas Rivero about bug farms. Yeah,
bug farms. This is one that would turn your stomach.
But that's okay. We're going to talk about it. Stay
with us, don't be discoveraged. Coming back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
It's Nightside, Foston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
All right, we are continuing along here and we are
about to talk about something that well, we're gonna be
very careful here. We have Nicholas Rivero with us. He's
a Washington Post reporter. Hey, Nicholas, welcome to Nightside.
Speaker 8 (19:35):
How are you not bad? Thank you for having me
on the show.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Dan. I read your piece in the Post. The world's
biggest bug farm is turning food waste into protein. This
is in France, where they have very you know, sensitive
palettes in France. I guess if they can deal with
it in France, we can deal with us here. Give
(19:59):
a these the uh, the understandable explanation of what we're
talking about here. This is not like chocolate covered ants.
That's not what we're talking about.
Speaker 8 (20:09):
No, and you know, I feel like I should stay
at the start. They're they're farming bugs. It's it's bugs.
It's fly larva is the term they use in the industry,
but we can call it what it is. That's a maggot. Yeah,
but this is this is not for human consumption. Here.
They're grown these bugs basically to use their protein and
(20:32):
their fat as ingredients and animal feed to feed the
farmed fish. And it's like pet food attitives. Basically.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
It sounds like dog abuse to me. I'm telling you
do not feeding mustard the dog my daughter's.
Speaker 8 (20:48):
I can't speak for him. They say the dogs like
it apparently, Well.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
You know, we eat things that aren't good for us
as well as human beings. Go ahead, By the way,
I must tell you my one and only experience with maggots.
And I've never told this story on the radio before,
but I want to tell you this. My first job
as a kid, I worked as a bag boy for
a local supermarket chain, and there's always an initiation fee.
(21:16):
They sent me out back to clean up near the dumpster.
What they knew and I didn't, was that because of
the heat of the day, there was a big slab
of cardboard which was on the ground and percolating underneath
that looked like a maggot farm. I picked up that
(21:38):
big piece of cardboard, and let me tell you, I
didn't lose it, but I came pretty close. Go ahead,
I'm not going to continue with your explanation. Ahead.
Speaker 8 (21:48):
That's great for anybody in the late dinner.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Oh yes, well, we have people all across the country.
So there are people in the Midwest who are having dinner,
people in the Mountain States who are still preparing dinner,
people in the Pacific time zone who have no interest
in eating dinner. Having listened to us.
Speaker 8 (22:06):
Ahead, well, so this farm, it's uh, it's really it's
amazing to see because I don't really know how to
convey the size of it other than to say that
what they've got in there, they're grown flies. Really, what
they want is the larva. The larva is full of
all this protein, all this fatt all this but they
have basically three hundred and fifty million flies on the farm.
(22:29):
Then the flies have ten billion little larva crawling around.
It's like a massive think of like a massive industrial facility.
And what wild is they're basically combining. You know, millions
and millions of years of evolution made these bugs really
good at eating anything. You feed them and turning it
into protein and fat. They're kind of mass and they're
(22:52):
combining that like you know, super high tech like automation
and like factory assembly line stuff that's super efficient. So
it's like the most efficient way you could possibly imagine
to take what they're feeding these bugs, which is food waste.
I mean it's stuff that would otherwise be thrown away, Yeah,
and turning that into protein.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Yeah. That's every time that I go to the dump,
I marvel at how many other cars are ahead of
me and behind me, and a lot of it is
food waste. Obviously, people don't do compost piles, so this
is the equivalent of the biggest compost pile in Europe.
It sounds to me like right.
Speaker 8 (23:30):
Yeah, pretty much. And like what they've done is they've
built this thing right next to a food processing facility,
so it takes in wheat. It's in the middle of
this giant, you know area that's growing a bunch of
wheats and it all comes into this one wheat processing
plant and they turn that into starch and ethanol all
this stuff. At the end of it, they've got stuff
left over, you know, chaff, and this thing called stillage,
(23:52):
which is a combination of water and whatever's left over
from their processing. And so what they do is they
just pipe that over. There's a pipe that runs directly
from that factory over into this bug farm, and the
bugs just eat that stuff. And they can eat anything
pretty much. But you know, you can put it next
to any food processing facility and they take the waste
(24:14):
from it and they eat it and they turn it
into protein, kind of kind of.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Like my my my late great uncle Harry, who could
eat anything. Yeah. Yeah, did you have a chance to
visit this location? I know that the Washington Post is
a great futu national newspaper. I hope you got at
least a trip and a dinner in Paris.
Speaker 8 (24:35):
That's right, I was. I did go visit it, and
I've kind of tell you I ate very well on
the trip. Have any bugs while I was visiting the
Bucks Farm? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (24:47):
I hope you got to say it was its uh
the Always Song because is still the biggest hotel in Paris,
if I'm not misaken, Yeah, I hope you. Well again
you but you should have gotten combat pay for this.
Let me tell you something, because you have to have
a man of a strong spine and strong stomach to
(25:08):
to actually the piece if anyone wants to read, it's
pretty comprehensive. By the way, I admire how much work
you put into it. The world's biggest bug farm is
turning food waste into protein. That's the name of it,
and it's Nicholas ROVERO R I V E R O. Nicholas.
I enjoyed our conversation. I don't necessarily can honestly tell
(25:31):
you that I enjoyed the topic of our conversation, but
you know, I enjoyed the conversation nonetheless, and I'd love
to have you back anytime. Are you a food reporter
there or you you must be like the science reporter.
Speaker 8 (25:44):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. I'm not in the food more on
the science side.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Yeah. No, I get it. I totally get it. Hey,
I really enjoyed it, man, I did. You got a
great sense of humor? You you you played, you played, Welton.
I thank you much.
Speaker 8 (25:57):
All right, have a good night.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
All right, Nicholas, say hi to all my friends of
the Washington postwam me whatever you see anyone, talk to
you later. All right. We I'm back going to talk
about King Richard's Fair. It's been around here in New England.
Not quite as long as the top Field Fair, but
this is the forty fourth season and King Richards Fair
I've been to several times, many years ago, but it
is a delightful It's in a new venue, the Edaville
(26:21):
Entertainment Venue in Carver, Massachusetts, New England's largest and longest
running Renaissance Fair. Festival runs weekends August thirtieth through October ninth.
This is one of the good things about living in
New England. We're going to talk with Amy Sedley, she's
the fairs general manager right after this break here on Nightside.
It is a Wednesday night. I need to remind you
it's not Tuesday. It's Wednesday.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray, Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
King Richard's Fair is returning here to southeastern Massachusetts for
their forty fourth season, this time down at the Edaville
Entertainment Venue in Carver, Massachusetts. With us is May Sedley.
Speaker 8 (27:03):
May.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
I'm sorry I mispronounced your name previously. How are you?
You had? The general manager and the producer of King
Richard's Fair. Welcome to Night's Side.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Well, thank you for having us, having us having me.
I'm very excited to be on on the radio with you.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
So, how long you've been with King Richards Fair. I
used to go there when my kids were young, back
in the early to mid nineties. It was always a
lot of fun.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Well, it's interesting, I guess I'd like to say I've
been with the Fair forever because my parents created it
and started it, and then I have been producing it
for the past thirty years.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Well they cared. They also created you and started you.
When you think about it as.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
Well, exactly right. It it's been a really long time,
so really long time.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
So you got a new venue this year. Eataville Entertainment
is the sure do. I think everybody knows what Eaterville
Railroad is. That's what we call it here in Massachusetts. Yeah,
what caused the switch to Ediville? It's a great.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
Location, by the way, Oh well, thank you. Well, a
couple of things. One, it was literally just a mile
and a half down the road from our existing venue,
which my parents created from raw woods, and it was
a natural place to try to purchase, which we did.
And then it just became a thing where it was like,
(28:25):
you know what we're going to do this, We're going
to move and now we have this great venue and
I've renamed it to Ediville Entertainment Venue, where it'll be
the new home for King Richard's Fair, as well as
continuing the tradition of the Ediville Christmas Festival of Lights.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Oh that's great, I've done that. I've done that as well.
The thing that is neat about the fair, at least
from my perspective, was the characters who were around the people.
And I say people because it could be men, could
be women who did the jousting on horses. I mean
it's I assume all of that is still available, you know,
(29:04):
to be seen as you mosy throughout the fairgrounds.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
Oh absolutely. I mean the neat part of this is
that we're a very immersive event. It's interactive. You have
performers and artisans and everyone interacting with you throughout the
entire day. So none of that part has changed it all.
We have better acts, more acts, we have more food
and beverage locations. We have an indoor adult bar where
(29:32):
you can actually belly up like to a tavern that
you could have done in the sixteenth century. So it's
just a wonderful, wonderful location for us, and just again
down the street. So it's wonderful all over.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
So I got a couple of questions, and I'm I
get I'm made of living my entire life in television
and radio just asking questions. And one of the questions
that I always had was how difficult is it every
year to assemble your cast of characters? I mean, I
assume that these folks not only do King Richard's Fair
(30:08):
here in Massachusetts, but they probably do the same or
similar type activities around. There must be a group of
people who you who you have on your rolodex. I'm
assuming you know you don't go out into the streets
of Plymouth and say, hey, would you like to be
a would you like to ride a horse and engage
in a joust?
Speaker 4 (30:31):
Well, I think, first of all, when we say rolodex,
I think it dates us both.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
No, I know, but I like the imagery. I get it,
no problem.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
I'm with you. I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
You know what.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
I'll be honest with you. It takes an entire year
just to build this show.
Speaker 8 (30:49):
It is.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
We have artisans, we have performers that come from all
over the country, and You're right, there are some that
are on what we call like the Renaissance fair circuit
where they go to a different show and they're on,
you know, from our show to another show, to another
show and then back to our show. However, we have
a lot of people that are locals that have regular,
(31:10):
normal day jobs and then they're also performers on the weekend,
and they're professional actors, but they also have normal, regular jobs.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Okay, so let's talk about just paint the picture for us.
If someone's never been to King King Richard's Fair, give
us a sense in may about some of the things
that they will behold as they as they peruse the grounds.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
Sure, so the whole concept is you look at you
come and you escape your reality. So forget your phones,
forget your business, forget all the heartache or difficulties that
can be in life, and you walk through our gates
and you're kind of like transferred back to the sixteenth century.
(31:59):
So you have all these fabulous performers interacting with you
throughout the day. You get to shop from artisans that
come from all over the country and they make their wares.
They're handmade wears, whether it's weapons or leatherwork or clothing
or face painting or Hannah or jewelry and you get
to eat the most wonderful, scrumptious foods and you just
(32:23):
enjoy your day outside. You know, we have over nine
stages that you can see acts throughout the day. You
get to shop and you get to just escape, which
is really what the goal is. You know, so many
of us are on our phones all the time, and
the one thing that's been so amazing is that you
(32:45):
look and yeah, you know, people want to take pictures
with the performers, but for the rest of the time,
they're not on their phones. They are literally enjoying themselves
in real lifetime.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Do the performers stay in character? I know that there
are some locales, even some close to where you are,
where the performers do not break character. They remain in
the fifteenth century or whichever century they're up. It is.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Yes, it's you know, that's what we hope, that's what
we hope. You know, there are some shows where you
have to, you know, be that character from head to toe,
with the hat to the shoes. We are much more
fun and fantasy in sixteenth century. So yes, do our
characters do our performers? Do they remain in character? Yes,
(33:37):
we hope so because that's the escapism. However, you're not
feeling uncomfortable being around this. You feel like you're just
immersed in the experience.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Okay. And one of the things that I always enjoyed
watching was the jousting where the performers were actually on horseback.
It looked to me pretty real, okay, and.
Speaker 4 (34:04):
Well, and you know what, you know what, Dan, it
should because these are professional stuntmen and this troop that
has been with us has been with us for over
fifty years, and so they are professionals. They are in character,
but again, this is what they do for a living.
And then another thing that we added this year, which
(34:25):
is very exciting, is we have an acrobatic equestrian show
that happens in between our jousting.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
With with with the horses.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
Yes, with the horses.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
So that sounds like something to say if the horses
doing broadwheels. I assume it's not quite like that.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
Right, Well, it's it's pretty amazing. Okay, I'm not gonna lie,
it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 7 (34:54):
Yeah, that's great.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
What's your favorite part? You I know you're going to
tell me everything's your favorite part, But then there must
be something that that is that just hits it for you.
What what is it?
Speaker 4 (35:07):
Well, you know, growing up in this business and doing
everything that I have done in this business, which is
literally everything. My greatest pleasure is to you know, we
work so hard all year long to plan this event
and make this event happen. So to watch people coming
(35:28):
through our gate and being happy and smiling and enjoying,
that's what makes me the happiest.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
And make no mistake about it, this is a full
time job for you. This is not something that you
pick up in late August and say, yeah, we got
to pull things together again.
Speaker 7 (35:43):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
This this is something that that that basically is your
job twelve months a year getting rid of and preparing
and coming up with new ideas well to may thank
you very much. I really enjoyed it talking. I really
enjoyed talking with you, and I I could not recommend
it more highly. When my children were young, they loved it.
(36:05):
And uh, we've got a couple of grandkids who are
probably a little a little too soon, but one of
these years you'll see see me down there with a
couple of grandchildren. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Well, I sure hope. So it's a very generational type
of thing. So I appreciate you having us on, and
I hope you come down to see our new realm.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
And so and so you'll recognize me. I'll bring my
roll index with me.
Speaker 7 (36:26):
Okay, I'll bring mine to not talking.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
About a watch here. By the way, folks earth, there's
anyone who was confused, thanks to may appreciate it very much.
Speaker 4 (36:35):
Thank you so much. Dan.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Okay, all right, we get back. We are We are
coming back, and we're going to talk about a controversy
that we've covered before, and we'll cover it from both
sides tonight and then on Friday night about a huge
contract that has been bid by bid out by Massachusetts
and there's a controversy over who the winning bid is.
(36:58):
We'll get to all of that, and we are going
to be talking with the president and CEO of a
company called Global Partners, which you probably know also as
Global Oil, longtime Massachusetts company Forts Generation. We'll explain that,
and we will talk on Friday night with a representative
of the other side of this controversy. Coming back on
Nightside right after the nine o'clock news
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