Ruthie Kurtz, co-superintendent of the building, sees the space as more than a showcase for handwork and cookery.

“People come just to see the craftsmanship,” she said.

It’s a space that has evolved as domestic arts have changed. Competitions for preserving and baking have long been staples of the county fair, but the categories have evolved alongside fairgoer’s interests.

This year you’ll see modern twists on tradition, including diamond dot art and the “busted canvas” exhibit – a contemporary take on visual storytelling.

Brenda Dunn learned the art of weaving from her mother Brenda, who is the president of the Youngstown East Ohio Weavers Guild. Here, she uses the shuttle to pass the threads through the shed created by the warp threads on an inkel loop. The resulting material is a strong belt-width strap that can be used for many purposes. (Photo by Amanda Smith-Teutsch)

“We rotate judges,” she said. “They know what excellence looks like, whether it’s a perfectly risen loaf or a hand-stitched heirloom.”

The heart of the building remains woven in heritage.

Across the barn, Marty McCarthy of Struthers sits behind her spinning wheel, foot pushing the pedal up-down, up-down in a steady rhythm, fingers guiding fleecy white wool as it twists into a skein of yarn.

“Women have been spinning for 10,000 years,” she said. “The thought that you share something with all of those ancestors is just mind-boggling.”

McCarthy is demonstrating the skill on a spinning wheel, a smaller 75-year-old German model. The larger great wheels are the stuff of legends and folklore- recognizable to anyone who has read the story of Sleeping Beauty.

Marty McCarthy, of Struthers, demonstrates spinning techniques at the Canfield Fair on Friday. McCarthy is a member of the Youngstown East Ohio Weavers Guild. The organization staged a demonstration in the traditional arts in the Arts and Crafts building. (Photo by Amanda Smith-Teutsch)

For McCarthy, spinning is meditative. “It brings peace,” she said. “And when the yarn’s done, I knit, weave, make bags. It’s a full-circle craft.”

Her materials come from local farms, friends who raise sheep and online retailers. The materials, along with her wheel, were all purchased online – proof that tradition can thrive in both the analog and digital worlds.

McCarthy was giving the demonstration as part of the Youngstown East Ohio Weavers Guild. Marilyn Dunn of Austintown, the guild’s president, demonstrated looms. “It relaxes me,” she says, laughing. “When I’m frustrated, I make the best rugs.” Her daughter Brenda, wearing her first handmade bracelet, worked a smaller loom that created long ribbon-like lengths of woven material that can be used for straps, bands or other useful items. “I like the creative process,” she said, as she worked the shuttle through the open space between the threads as they snaked up, down, around and under the wooden frame.

The weaving projects are on display in the barn through the end of the fair. For more information on the Youngstown East Ohio Weavers Guild, look them up on Facebook; they meet monthly and welcome any interested in fiber arts to attend.

An example of fabric displayed at the Canfield Fair. (Photo by Amanda Smith-Teutsch)

The Best of Show winning entry this year in weaving was created by Anthony Thompson. (Photo by Amanda Smith-Teutsch)