Thrill seekers, chill seekers can all find something to love at the Rochester Fair

UPS AND DOWNS: Four young fairgoiers show a myriad of expressions as they get their taste of the Seven Seas amusement ride at the Rochester Fair on Friday afternoon. The fair opens up today at 10 a.m. (Rochester Voice photos)

ROCHESTER - Hawkers hawked, vendors vended and thrill seekers sought thrill fulfillment on Friday as the Rochester Fair kicked into high gear amid crisp fall temps and blue skies punctuated by a few lonely cirrus clouds.

On the Seven Seas carnival ride a foursome of teenage girls got their happy comeuppance - and downance - as they were taken on a rollicking ride that their expressions said they weren't quite prepared for, but enjoyed none the less.

SHOWING HIS METAL: Scott Lister of Lebanon, Maine, shows off some of his creations that can be seen in the Exhibition Hall of this year's Rochester Fair.

On the other side of the midway, a more tranquil scene as a couple had their portrait drawn by a professional artist as their bemused teenage daughter looked on.

And down next to the Exhibition Hall a comedic ventriloquist had a crowd laughing as she bantered with an opossum!

As they say, there's something for everyone at the Rochester Fair!

And while the girls riding the Seven Seas were testing their mettle, Scott Lister of Lebanon, Maine, was selling his metal at a vendor booth just three doors down from The Rochester Voice booth.

Lister, who teaches industrial arts (or tech) at Epping middle and high school, said he's always been fascinated by the medium, and began his part-time business in which he fabricates and builds custom metal signs and curios to order in 2018.

ROCHESTER'S OWN: Adrienne Hebert, this year's Miss N.H. Ambassador Teen, in front of the carousel outside the Exhibition Hall on Friday afternoon. Adrienne lives in Rochester and is a senior at Spaulding High, where she has a concentration in musical theater performance.

"As long as it doesn't have a copyright, I'll do it," he quipped.

He said he liked the artistic nature of his business and explained it's a process to go from design to production to finished work of art.

He said after completing the design in a CAD (computer-aided design) program you use CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) to finish the job.

The CAM program allows you to write to a formula to know how to cut, he explained.

Anyone interested can stop by and see Lister in the Exhibition Hall or go to his Facebook Page at Mainly Plasma.

The Rochester Fair continues today with the Miss Rochester Fair Beauty Pageant at 1 p.m. and the School Bus Demo Derby at 7 p.m. Doors open for livestock showing at 10 a.m.

And while you're in the neighborhood, stop by The Rochester Voice booth for a star burst, a free pen and a $20 annual subscription. That's less than 6 cents a day, about one-sixth the cost of the competition. By the way, the star burst and pen are free.