Time to fly high and forge ahead with this year's rendition of the Granite State Fair

A blooming aerialist bungee jumps during a recent fair (Rochester Voice file photo); inset, Steve Walthall working with steel (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - This year's Granite State Fair will have all its fan favorites such as the School Bus Derby, Circus Hollywood and carnival rides galore, but also a few new wrinkles like a beekeeping exhibit, blacksmithing display and a Lowe's Kids' DIY Workshop.
Steve Walthall, a farrier from Alexandria, Va., will be on hand to demonstrate his blacksmithing prowess next Saturday and Sunday.
He says when you take a straight bar of steel and match it up perfectly with a horse's hoof you're "marrying blacksmithing with a living thing."

"A good shoe will actually enhance the performance of the horse," he adds.
Walthall custom makes all his horseshoes and said he'll be bringing a forge and anvil to show fairgoers exactly how it's done.
A Beekeeping display in the Exhibition Hall will show folks how to learn the art of beekeeping and honey production and will feature a live beehive including its queen bee.
There will also be a Lowe's Kids' DIY workshop near the Exhibition Hall where a team will bring in raw materials and oversee kids making their own DIY project they can take home.
Another unique demonstration will be a Woodsman Competition near the animal barns on the fair's final Sunday at 11 a.m. when woodsmen will show off their frontier skills.
Meanwhile, the School Bus Derby will have three runs this year, on Sept. 14, Sept 20 and Sept. 21.

The fair opens on Thursday at 4 p.m.

To see a complete listing of events and to buy tickets click here.