In the Exhibition Hall, a treasure trove of local talent

Louise Thibaudeau stands in front of one of her handmade quilts. Thibaudeau won the Cocheco Quilters Award for a separate quilt that is also on display in the fair's Exhibition Hall. (Harrison Thorp photos)

ROCHESTER - When most people think of the Rochester Fair, they may think of sausage and onion grinders, French fries and fried dough, and of course the mechanical rides, but just off the midway in the Exhibition Hall, some of the finest handiwork crafted by local artisans is on display with only a smattering of visitors.

Here you can find everything handcrafted imaginable, from homemade soaps and apothecary items to woodworking to quilt making and paintings.

Annette Plaisted of Rochester has been craft supervisor in the Exhibition Hall for 14 years and says the people who put their works of art in to be displayed, “put their heart and soul into making them.”

Along with her assistant, Karen Cameron, the two set up their gallery like a museum, showing off pottery, quilts and woodwork items to best present these locally made treasures.

Then they arrange for judges to review the items to determine which are awarded one of the fair’s coveted ribbons.

Plaisted said unlike most museums, many of the exhibits are for sale.

Daniel Sean Skammels of Riverside Rest Home in Dover, N.H., accepts his award for Best in Division and Outstanding Award for Quality from Craft Section Supervisor Annette Plaisted. Skammels painted all the images on the corner cupboard, background. He said the project took a full month to complete.

Plaisted acknowledges that for a lot of people, the fair is all about the games, the entertainment, the rides and the food, but she hopes people don’t forget to come by and see the kind of superb craftsmanship and artwork produced by some of the area’s most talented artisans.

In some ways, she thinks the Exhibition Hall represents the most important aspects of the fair, itself, admitting she wishes sometimes she could grab people off the rides and midway and coax them into the hall so they could see for themselves some of the treasures they hold.

“We keep the tradition alive,” she said on Tuesday as she looked around at current artwork and memorabilia from fairs gone by.