 Two young female millworkers in 1873 Maine visit the town 's carousel after work . One of them , Julie Jordan , attracts the attention of the barker , Billy Bigelow ( " The Carousel Waltz " ) . When Julie lets Billy put his arm around her during the ride , Mrs. Mullin , the widowed owner of the carousel , tells Julie never to return . Julie and her friend , Carrie Pipperidge , argue with Mrs. Mullin . Billy arrives and , seeing that Mrs. Mullin is jealous , mocks her ; he is fired from his job . Billy , unconcerned , invites Julie to join him for a drink . As he goes to get his belongings , Carrie presses Julie about her feelings toward him , but Julie is evasive ( " You 're a Queer One , Julie Jordan " ) . Carrie has a beau too , fisherman Enoch Snow ( " ( When I Marry ) Mister Snow " ) , to whom she is newly engaged . Billy returns for Julie as the departing Carrie warns that staying out late means the loss of Julie 's job . Mr. Bascombe , owner of the mill , happens by along with a policeman , and offers to escort Julie to her home , but she refuses and is fired . Left alone , she and Billy talk about what life might be like if they were in love , but neither quite confesses to the growing attraction they feel for each other ( " If I Loved You " ) . 
