ONTARIO – Staring into a crowd of Richland County fairgoers ready to party, country artist Granger Smith made an accurate observation.
“It’s a Monday night, but it feels like a Saturday,” the singer declared, to a rousing cheer. “This is a beautiful fair.”
Smith’s performance on Monday marked the second year of the Richland County Fair’s revitalization of its music acts. Jason Snyder, president of the Richland County Agricultural Society, said in 2015 that he hopes the fair will eventually get back to its “glory days” of big-name bands.
Snyder noted that Monday night’s crowd easily surpassed that of last year’s fair, with ticket sales sitting at around 1,100.
“I’ve heard this is the best live show you’ve ever been to,” Snyder said.
Mansfield natives Matt and Liz Taylor, longtime attendees of the Richland County Fair, said they were happy to have live music back at the fair.
“(Smith) is a great country artist,” Liz Taylor said. “When a small county fair can get a big-name country artist, that’s pretty cool.”
Opening for Smith on Monday evening was The DeVault Ridge Band, of Ontario. This is the second year the band has performed at the fair, having opened for country artist Chris Cagle at the 2015 fair.
“We look forward to it every year,” said singer Dan DeVault.
“You’ve got the outdoors, the big stage, the great sound,” added Amanda DeVault. “And it’s getting bigger every year.
Smith did his part to deliver on Monday, performing hits such as “Backroad Song” and “If The Boot Fits,” prompting a salute of dusty boots from the crowd.
“It’s my first time in Mansfield,” Smith said to the crowd. “I won’t forget this, I promise.”
