Pinal Today

Mark Lamb, Pinal County sheriff, said he was satisfied with Country Thunder's safety level and gave credit to fellow law enforcement officials for keeping order.

The annual country music festival began on Thursday in Florence, Arizona; the four-day event is expected to host 35,000 people. Lamb said he wanted attendees to enjoy their time but to stay safe and smart as well, Pinal Central reported.

"We are not over-regulating people, and we encourage them to have fun," Lamb said, according to Pinal Central. "But, don’t overdrink, don’t drink and drive, and be respectful of others. And I think people do it, and they can come out here and not have to worry about having to deal with law enforcement unless they really get out of line."

Lamb told Pinal Central that he was happy with the safety levels attendees displayed, and he gave thanks to law enforcement for keeping everything in line.

"We love when Country Thunder comes to town," Lamb said, according to Pinal Central. "It's good for the county; the people that are out here love it as well. We have had relatively few issues so we are happy about that, and I am glad that [Country Thunder] continues to come out here."

One thing Lamb hopes people avoid is making the decision to drink and drive.

"I think the campsites have been relatively OK," Lamb said, according to Pinal Central. "But, DUIs are something that we deal with every time. However, we have seen a lot of designated drivers this year. We have a lot of cars flowing in and out of the area, so we are making sure that the people who are leaving this venue are not putting anyone else at risk. That is of utmost importance for us."

Lamb was elected as the 24th Pinal County sheriff in January 2017, according to the Pinal County website.

Headliners for the festival include country artists Blake Shelton, Morgan Wallen, and Florida Georgia Line.