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Monster crowds at Rochester Fair make for thrilling day

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It was all squeals and screams as a foursome tumble down the first hill of the Super Cyclone Roller Coaster on Saturday at the Rochester Fair. (Rochester Voice photos)

ROCHESTER - The three words used by 9-year-old Madison Rawson of Rochester to describe her first camel ride are the same three that best describe Saturday's Rochester Fair.

"It was awesome."

Thousands from New Hampshire and Maine swarmed the Rochester Fairgrounds to the point that by midafternoon fair organizer Mark Perry said food concessions were running out of food and scrambling to restock with seven hours of fair still left to go. However, it's a nice problem to have, he added.

Nine-year-od Madison Rawson takes a turn on a two-hump camel on Saturday at the Rochester Fair.

When Fair Ambassador Joel Sherburne, who's been coming to the fair for 60 years, was asked if these were old-timey numbers, all he had time to do was wink as he rushed through the Exhibition Hall to announce the 4 p.m. pig races over the fair PA system.

Meanwhile, at the Grandstand, the line to buy tickets at 4 p.m. for the 7 p.m. school bus demo derby stretched 100 yards and comprised some 250 folk.

And by 6:30 p.m. a line of cars and pickup trucks stacked up on Lafayette snaked clear out to the lights of North Main Street.

"This looks pretty good," said Rochester Fair board member Sandra Keans, whose comment turned out to be the master of understatement.

If Thursday was slightly disappointing and Friday was mostly encouraging, Saturday was numbers to a "faretheewell."

Saturday's near-record crowds were helped in part by cooler temperatures with an overcast sky but no rain.

"This is nothing unusual," said one longtime fair volunteer. "The first day is always getting the kinks out. But this today is great."

While fairgoers outside screamed and wailed heading down the fair's roller coaster or cursed under their breath when missing out on an arcade game prize, inside the tranquility of the Exhibition Hall knitters and crocheters gave live demonstrations of their craft.

One such crafter was Joyce Hilton of South Berwick, Maine, who took a blue ribbon, trophy and a small cash prize for her gorgeous handmade quilt.

"The cash means nothing," she said pointing to her trophy. "This is what I like."

Meanwhile, a few hundred feet away in a different part of the hall, the first Miss Rochester Fair Pageant in more than a decade was crowning three lovely young girls with the coveted title.

Skylar Ryan, 15, of Rochester is crowned Miss Rochester Fair by Adrienne Hebert of Rochester, who was Miss Acton (Maine) Fair of 2016.

The pageant consisted of an interview, talent/modeling and evening wear and an optional "Photogenic" competition.

Also on hand to emcee the program was Miss N.H. USA Ambassador Teen Lexi Taylor, a junior at Spaulding High.

Little Miss Rochester was won by 7-year-old Savannah Edgerly-Hurley of Rochester, while Lindsey Lauze, 10, of Farmington was named Jr. Miss and Skylar Ryan, 15, of Rochester took home Miss Rochester Fair.

"I can't believe it," said an overwhelmed and tearful Ryan. "I am completely surprised."

It was likely a pleasant surprise, as was this most glorious of days at the Rochester Fair 2018.

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