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ROCHESTER - It was 20 minutes before the Granite State Fair opened its doors on Thursday that the first folks lined up to get their fill of fried dough, french fries and cotton candy.
Among the first was nine-year-old Brady Demers of Rochester who proudly said he'd been coming to the fair for six or seven years.
Brady said his favorite things about the fair are the carnival rides and cotton candy.
A few moments later Miguel Dejesus showed up on his scooter with friend Josh McLaren, who both said they'd been coming to the former Rochester Fair and Granite State Fair for 12 years now.
What's Miguel's favorite thing about the fair?
"People watching," he said. "You see a lot of people you don't normally see."
For Josh, it's all about the rides and the fried dough.
"Those are my favorites," he said.
The fair got started promptly at 4 p.m., just as Hall Bros. Roofing employees put the finishing touches on the new main gate ticket office.
Meanwhile, over near where those famous racing pigs will show off their wiggly speed, nearby in the men's room, Linwood Mixon was sprucing up the space he's in charge of and picking out music he'll play during the fair.
Mixon, who lives in Tampa, Fla., said he spends two or three months during the summer traveling with the Fiesta Shows, who have furnished the carnival rides, free circus and several food vendors for the fair for decades.
Mixon said he enjoys traveling with Fiesta Shows from Florida to New England.
"I like looking at what life is like up and down the East Coats," he said. "And meeting people like you."
Asked about the folks round Rochester he said "they are very pleasing people."
Mixon made it a point to say that he'll be playing a lot of good tunes during the two-week fair.
And what's his favorite group"
The Boss! Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
Fair highlights today include a cornhole tournament and car soccer, both at 7 p.m.
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