Organizers of the 40th Annual Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention couldn’t have ordered more perfect weather.

The sweltering days of summer gave way to just enough crispness in the air to make record crowds comfortable as they awaited news of competition winners on the campus of Athens State University.

“This has to be a record crowd,” said ASU spokesman Rick Mould. “It’s certainly more people than I’ve ever seen here.”

Mould said Friday night’s crowd of between 5,000 and 6,000 was the largest draw for a Friday night ever. He said at late afternoon Saturday that officials were still counting gate receipts and folks were still coming in for late competitions.

Numerous food vendors did a brisk business and business was good at the dozens of craft booths.

Competition continued well after The News Courier’s deadline, but this is a partial list of winners. For a full list of winners, see Tuesday’s edition of The News Courier.

Harmonica: First place, Ken Tenpenny, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Second place, Lewis Taylor, Ringgold, Ga.; Third place, Isaac Vick, Lyles, Tenn.; Fourth place, Rob Pearcy, Smyrna, Tenn.; and Fifth Place, Blake Russell, Athens.

Mandolin: First place, Ricky Rorex, Huntsville; Second place, Solly Burton, Sullivan, Ind.; Third place, Bobby Nobley, LaGrange, Ga.; Fourth place, Rob Pearcy, Smyrna, Tenn.; Fifth place, Randall Colwell, Huntsville.

Bluegrass Banjo: First place, Brett Martin, Loachapoka; Second place, Weston Stewart, Anderson; Third place, Roger Jones, Athens; Fourth place, Lukas Pool, Mountain View, Ark.; Fifth place, Tommy James, Lexington, Tenn.

Dobro: First place, Earl Grubbs, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Second place, Damion Kidd, Elkmont; Third place, Steven Smiley, Harvest; Fourth place, Rick Harris, Bessemer; Fifth place, Tony Mims Jr., Elkmont.

Dulcimer: First place, Bobby Nobley, LaGrange, Ga.; Second place, Rob Pearcy, Smyrna, Tenn.; Third place, Pat Van Gorder, Rockvale, Tenn.; Fourth place, Jan Pike, Corinth, Miss.; Fifth place, Roger Patterson, Athens.

Old-Time Singing: First place, Eddie Finn, Chelsea; Second place, Duncan and Eleanor Blair, Birmingham; Third place, Jesse Smith, Eva; Fourth place, Joe Chandler, Tuscaloosa; Fifth place, George Newton, Birmingham.

Beginning Fiddler (10 and under): First place, Austin Tipton, Lascassas, Tenn.; Second place, Laura Sandifer, Caledonia, Miss.; Third place, Emma DeJarnette, Snellville, Ga.; Fourth place, Benjamin Borg, McCalla; Fifth place, Lucy Sandifer, Caledonia, Miss.

Guitar-Finger Picking: First place, Jimmy Wood, Fairview, Tenn.; Second place, Barry Kay, Athens; Third place, Rob Pearcy, Smyrna, Tenn.; Fourth place, Steve Kilby, Mouth of Wilson, Va.; Fifth place, James Darby, Prattville.

Old-Time Banjo: First place, Rebekah Weiler, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Second place, Charlie Hunter, Birmingham; Third place, Duncan Blair, Birmingham; Fourth place, Jim Holland, Athens; Fifth place, Cole Holland, Athens.

Guitar-Flat Picking: First place, Adam Wright, Nashville; Second place, Joel Whittinghill, Bowling Green, Ky.; Third place, Rob Pearcy, Smyrna, Tenn.; Fourth place, Randall Boyd, Lester; Fifth place, Steve Kilby, Mouth of Wilson, Va.

Beginning Fiddler (11-15): First place, Maddie Denton, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Second place, Doug Fleener, Leitchfield, Ky.; Third place, Tari Huntley, Loretto, Tenn.; Fourth place, Weston Hardyman, Cullman; Fifth place, Brandon Bounds, Northport.

Senior Fiddler: First place, Wayne Jerrolds, Savannah, Tenn.; Second place, Chuck Reeves, Oakman; Third place, Tom Fonvile, Flint, Texas; Fourth place, Wayne Carter, Abedeen, Miss.; Fifth place, Bud Meredith, Leitchfield, Ky.

Still to be decided at press time were: Classic Old-Time Fiddler; Bluegrass Band; Junior Fiddler; Old Time Band; Buck Dancing (age 15 and under); Buck Dancing (16 and over); and Fiddle King.