A dip in the temperatures across Garfield County didn’t keep the mercury level from rising at the Garfield County Fair Thursday in Rifle.

With the weekend in sight, activity picked up around the fairgrounds as both the sheep and goats took over the indoor arena most of the day.

Concert headliner Trace Adkins and opener Joe Nichols will take main stage in the outdoor arena at 7 p.m. Friday night. Cassidy Evans, Garfield County Fair and Events Coordinator said that, as of Thursday night, there were still tickets available for the show.

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The midway opened up Thursday afternoon with carnival rides operating for the first time. The Perceptives continued their recurring show on the free stage, hypnotizing any willing volunteers to the cheers of the midway crowd.

The main event of the night, the PRCA Pro Rodeo, drew the largest attendance for the day with a near-packed grandstand.

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After a technical glitch Wednesday evening during the PRCA Xtreme Bulls, fair officials installed new speakers for the announcer and traditional music.

The gathering crowd seemed to approve as they filed into the outdoor arena with popular music filling the early evening air.

Longtime western Garfield County residents Jerry and Sheila Rew, who live south of Silt, settled in their seats in the grandstand. The fair is a yearly tradition for the Rew family.

“I’ve been coming since I was a kid,” said Sheila Rew, who grew up in Rifle showing steers in her youth at the fair.

She said it has changed a lot over the years, but it still is definitely about the kids and how hard they work.

“I think a lot of things are getting better, as they bring in the younger people to get involved,” Jerry Rew said.

“It’s an experience for kids. They learn so much,” Sheila said.

The Rews said the rodeo is their favorite part, but they are looking forward to the beef show Friday morning, and the parade on Saturday.

“You get to see a lot of people you don’t see all year long,” Sheila said. “It’s a community event, for everyone to gather.”

Jerry always associates the fair with the changing of the seasons.

“Fall weather isn’t too far away,” he said.

For Shelton Scarrow, the fair has been his life since he was a young child.

“I’ve taken part in the fair since I was a young kid,” Scarrow said.

He showed animals growing up, and even took part in the rodeo riding bulls. Scarrow said he believes the best part of the fair is the children and watching them learn with their animals.

“It’s where I learned,” Scarrow said.

He and his wife, Ashley, come every year, and he hopes his young daughter will participate when she is old enough.

Ashley Scarrow grew up in Glenwood Springs, but loves the feel of the rural county fair.

“It has that hometown feel, and it’s very community based, I feel,” Ashley said.

She is looking forward to the parade, and he is looking forward to the demolition derby.

“I’m a concert person, so I love the music,” Ashley said. “It’s not very often you get a big headliner in a small town. That’s what I love about it.”

The couple tries to never miss the rodeo and the concert, but this year they made a change to their plans.

“We haven’t done the demo derby in several years, so we sacrificed the concert for demo derby,” Shelton said.

The fair continues Friday with the beef exhibition show kicking of the day at 8:30 a.m. and the beef show following.

The exhibit halls open at 10 a.m., with free stage entertainment kicking off at 11 a.m.

kmills@postindependent.com