Main Street gearing up for late summer events
Main Street El Dorado is kicking into high gear with a bevy of events that are lined up for late summer and fall.
MSE will wrap up its summer events Aug. 24 with the final, 2019 installment of Showdown at Sunset and the Summer Concert Series.
The long-running Showdown and concert series anchor newer activities, including Grill Wars, that have been added in recent years to encourage visitors to spend the entire day in the Union Square District.
The events are part of an overall effort by Main Street to increase foot traffic for downtown retail shops and restaurants.
With the theme “Summer is Coming in Hot: A Day in El Dorado,” MSE board members said there were “really good turnouts” for summer events in June and July and they are hoping for an even bigger crowd August 24.
The group homed in on Grill Wars, a cooking competition that features a different food each month.
Pizza will be the flavor of August and cooking teams are invited to try out their best recipes.
There will also be a children’s cook-off with dessert pizza.
Beth Brumley, executive director of MSE, said seven competitors participated in July Grill Wars, which featured tacos.
“We had hoped for more, but the crowd downtown was great all day. There was a lot of people sampling the food as they walked around and enjoyed the music,” Brumley said.
“I hope August is just as great and the weather is just as nice,” she added.
MSE board members also thanked downtown merchants for the work they have put into growing First Thursday events, which have also brought more people downtown.
On the first Thursday of the month, merchants organize a variety of activities and stay open un
til 7 p.m. to accommodate shoppers who may not normally have the opportunity browse on the downtown square after work.
This summer, First Thursday has attracted diverse crowds, MSE board members said.
A Back to School Bash has been incorporated into Aug. 24 summer events and will feature plenty of water-based activities.
The schedule for Aug. 24 is:
• 8 a.m. until noon, MAD Farmers Market. The MAD Playscape will also be open during the day.
• Noon: Grill Wars, sponsored by PJ’s Coffee, The Spot and The El Dorado Creamery.
• Noon until 6 p.m.: Back to School Bash, which will include a water slide, water-gun fights, a dunking booth and family games. Participants are asked to bring their own water guns.
• 2 p.m., Baggo tournament.
• 3 until 7 p.m., Free horse and carriage rides.
• 4 p.m., Cruise Night car show.
• 4:30 p.m., Music on Main, featuring a performance by J. Edwards.
• 5:45 p.m., Entertainment by the South Arkansas Arts Center.
• 6:15 p.m., Showdown at Sunset, sponsored by the South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society.
• 7 p.m., Murphy USA Summer Concert Series in the MAD Amphitheater.
Rock and roll band Low Cut Connie will headline the concert, with featured performer Abby Lindsey, a rising country music artist.
Heading into the fall
Main Street will start off September with Airstreams on the Square.
The second annual El Dorado event is set for Sept. 5 - 8 and MSE board members said 22 travel trailers have already signed up.
The registration fee is $95 until Aug. 23. Late registration will be $115 from Aug. 24 - Aug. 30.
Airstream groups around the nation host nontraditional camping events that are designed to promote the Airstream lifestyle and help stimulate economic vitality in small-town America.
In 2018, El Dorado was selected as the site of the first such event in Arkansas.
The event drew 22 travel trailers from Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia camped out for several days around the Union County Courthouse. During a three-day stay in El Dorado, Arkansas Razorbacks Air Stream Club worked with Main Street to organize activities that included a spaghetti supper, street dance and open house tours of the campers — all of which were open to the public.
The supper doubled as a fundraiser for Relay for Life of Union County and the tours charged visitors canned goods, which were donated to local food pantries.
This year’s spaghetti supper, which is set for 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Sept. 5 on Washington Avenue between Main and Elm, will raise money for veterans. Plates will be $10. Other activities include a pub crawl, Paint With a Twist, Baggo tournament, Boot Scootin’ Street Dance and more.
MSE board member Bruce Butterfield asked how many travel campers could fit into the downtown area.
“We have room for 40, but that would tight. We’re meeting with the Airstream group because we might have to add a (power) panel,” Brumley said.
Main Street board members said the Airstream event purposely coincided with the SouthArk Outdoor Expo, which will be held from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the El Dorado Conference Center.
Admission for the Expo is canned goods or packaged foods.
The day will include a 5K run, photo contest, rib cookoff, live music, exhibits, a car show, vendors, children’s activities, a dog show and more.
For more information or to register for any activities, call 870-864-7130 or send an email to foundation@southark.edu. Also visit, www.southarkexpo.com or visit the SouthArk Foundation Facebook page.
Later in the month, Main Street and MAD will prepare for MusicFest on Sept. 27 and 28.
MAD will provide the music with headliners that include Walk the Moon and Brett Young and Main Street will take care of the festival component with activities, attractions and more live music in the downtown square.
On Oct. 26, MSE will introduce a new fall festival to El Dorado.
Smoke on the Square will feature a sanctioned, Kansas City Barbecue Society cookoff and activities, including a petting zoo and others that are fitting for the season — pumpkin pie-baking and eating-contests.
Main Street will also team up with the DBA for Scare on the Square Halloween on Oct. 31.
Events celebrating Christmas will round out the year with Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony on Nov. 21, Downtown Open House on Nov. 24 and Shop Small Saturday on Nov. 30.