Despite cloudy skies, sunny numbers for festival

Crowd mingle among food, vendor booths and vintage cars as a chopper from Seacoast Helicopters heads toward its landing pad at the north end of the festival grounds on Saturday at the Wings and Wheels festival at Skyhaven Airport in Rochester. (Harrison T

ROCHESTER - Rochester’s young people got sky high on flying Saturday as Rochester’s Third Annual Wings & Wheels festival bucked the weather odds and mustered out a fairly decent day for flying, browsing vintage automobiles and planes, eating yummy food and getting to know many of Rochester’s businesses and entrepreneurs.

The local Young Eagles, a group dedicated to teaching the love of flying and airplanes to young people nationwide, took center stage as they donated their planes, time and gasoline to give children 8-17 free rides in their own personal planes at Skyhaven Airport.

In the morning only one plane was available for the flights making for some long waits for youngsters, but by early afternoon two more planes were set to be added as one Young Eagle used his plane to fly another pilot to Concord where they were going to pick up another plane.

Jarod Bush of Farmington gets set to close the door as pilot Jeff Everett of Lebanon prepares his plane for takeoff during Saturday's Wings and Wheels event at Skyhaven Airport.

Among the Young Eagles flying their own planes to give kids a free ride was Lebanon resident and Everetts Cove Marina owner Jeff Everett.

Nearby a helicopter from Seacoast Helicopters was deluged with festivalgoers looking to take advantage of $30 chopper rides.

Rochester Police Officer Tracy Hayes, who organized the event, said she expected well over last year’s attendance of 3,000 visitors despite the gray start to the event.

The sun may not have been out much of the day, but things heated up nonetheless, with a hot sauce chicken wings eating contest sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings of Rochester. The eatery handed out a $100 prize to winner Peter Donth of Rochester, who finished his plateful in just 1:30, followed by Patrick Dailey of Rochester, who finished 10 seconds later.

Peter Donth holds up his hand to signal he's done during Saturday's  Hot Wings Eating Contest at the Wings and Wheels festival at Skyhaven Airport.

A hula hoop contest was also set for later in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, many festivalgoers flocked to the vintage plane show where several aircraft, including ultralights were on display.

Many New Hampshire businesses including Bank of New Hampshire, which was the major sponsor of the event, were on hand doing outreach with potential customers.

And then there was the food. With everything from sausage subs to chicken skewers and hamburgers to fried dough and popcorn, there was almost a Rochester Fair feel and smell to the event. Needless to say, folks gobbled it up.

Among other attractions were a dunk tank, Police K9 unit, smoke house, Police evidence truck, Harley Jump Bike, skateboard demonstration with Rye Airfield and live music with the Just by Chance Band.

The festival was presented by the Rochester Police Department and organized by Hayes, who was ecstatic when the sun peeked through in the early afternoon.

“This is great,” she said.

Jerry Spurling of Rochester dances with his granddaughter Cortland, 3, from Berwick during Rochester's Wings and Wheels festival on Saturday.