Summer on the Square closing this month
Airstream camping, Scare on the Square information announced
Main Street El Dorado has released the schedule for the third and final installment of Summer of the Square 2021, which will be held downtown Aug. 28.
The public is invited to bring their lawn chairs and celebrate MSE’s last dance of the summer with a day of live music, Grill Wars, Showdown at Sunset, Cruise Night Classic Car Show, performances by the South Arkansas Arts Center and South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and food vendors.
Admission for Summer on the Square is free.
MSE board members have said attendance has been good for Summer on the Square. The first two installments were presented on the fourth Saturday in June and July.
With area schools opening this week for the fall semester, the August edition will also double as a back-to-school bash, featuring a kids’ Fun Zone with inflatables, interactive games, water activities and more.
Beth Brumley, executive director of MSE, said children are welcome to bring their own water guns, adding that the Fun Zone will include a host of water activities.
Local schoolchildren will also take the lead with musical entertainment the day.
Grill Wars will kick off with registration and signup from 9 until 10 a.m. at the intersection of Jefferson and Elm streets.
The theme is “Campfire Dogs and S’mores” and entrants will vie for a total of $1,000 in cash prizes.
Inspired by camping and cookouts, MSE board members encourage entrants to be imaginative with their recipes.
“Hopefully, they’ll come up with creative toppings and use hotdogs, sausages — anything that you can use to make a hotdog,” Brumley said.
Grill Wars will include a kids’ division for each category. The kids’ division is open to children up to 15 years old and they must be accompanied by a parent.
Cooks are also encouraged to make samples available to the public.
Entry fees are $25 for the adult hot dog/sausage division and will increase to $40 after Aug. 20; $15 for the kids’ hot dog division; and $15 for s’mores (children and adults).
Cash payouts will go to first-, second- and thirdplace winners in each category, including:
• Hot dog (adult) - $250 for first place, $125 for second and $75 for third.
• Hot dog (kids) - $100 for first place, $50 for second and $25 for third.
• S’mores (adults) - $125 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third.
• S’mores (kids) - $100 for first place, $50 for second and $25 for third.
To register for Grill Wars or for more information, visit www.mainstreeteldorado.org or call the MSE office 870-862-4747.
The Summer on the Square schedule is:
• 11 a.m., Fun Zone and vendors open. Attendees who plan to participate in water activities are encouraged to bring their swimsuits and a towel.
• 12:30 - 2 p.m., Arkansas Moo Duk Kwan Martial Arts demonstration on the stage on the east side (Jefferson Avenue) of the Union County Courthouse.
• 2:30 - 3:30 p.m., local students Carmelo Brown and Mason Halstead will take the stage on the east side of the courthouse.
• 4 p.m. Cruise Night Classic Car Show on Washington Avenue.
• 4 - 5:30 p.m., live music with Brody McKinney, also a local student, on the courthouse stage.
• 5:30 p.m., Grill Wars winners announced and prizes awarded on the courthouse stage.
• 6 p.m., South Arkansas Arts Center Spotlight Preview, courthouse stage
• 6:30 p.m. Showdown at Sunset, east side of the courthouse.
• 8 p.m., Symphony on the Square/South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
Fall
After MSE wraps up its summer events, the group will move along into the fall with MusicFest, Airstreams on Main and Scare on the Square, all of which are scheduled in October.
MSE discussed the events during a regular meeting on Aug. 10, fresh on the heels of the announcement of legendary rapper Ice Cube as one of the headliners for MusicFest, which is set for Oct. 1 and 2.
MSE launched MusicFest in 1988 and in 2017, the group began a partnership with the Murphy Arts District to present the festival, with MSE focusing on the festival/attractions component and MAD booking the headliners for the music portion of the event.
MAD will kick off MusicFest Oct. 1 with performances by country music star Frank Foster and special guest Pryor and Lee.
Ice Cube will anchor the final night of the festival.
The rapper replaced Snoop Dogg and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, who were originally slated as MusicFest headliners for Oct. 2 but canceled their appearance weeks ago.
On Oct. 2, MSE will present attractions, more live music and vendors on the downtown square. Admission is free and some activities are paid.
Board members said they faced an unexpected cancellation of their own, explaining that the vendor who was supplying the carnival rides recently pulled out of MusicFest.
Brumley previously said the rides were initially booked for MusicFest 2020, which was canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
She said the rides were reserved for MusicFest 2021 but the vendor, who is based in Malvern, canceled the reservation.
“They sent us an email and said they took another event,” Brumley said.
She said there has also been a “hiccup” with sponsorships for Kids World, adding that MSE is tending to both issues and hopes to make an announcement soon with details about attractions.
MSE is, however, rolling out more information about the fourth annual Airstreams on the Square, which set for Oct. 21 - 24.
The event is presented by MSE and the Arkansas Razorback Airstream Club as part of a campaign to stage Main Street/urban camping events across the country, promote the Airstream lifestyle and help stimulate economic development and vitality in small-town America.
Airstreams draws participants from several states and MSE board members said 45 RVers, a record number, have signed up for this year’s event, with some having to be placed on standby.
The group camps out around the square for several days, supports local businesses while in town and participates in activities that are planned in a partnership with MSE that are free and open to the public.
Air-streamers will begin arriving on Oct. 21.
A street dance that is set for 7 p.m. Oct. 22 will feature a performance by Shreveport, Louisiana, band Identity Crises at the intersection of Washington and Elm.
Attendees are welcome to wear pirate-themed attire.
MSE board members said people are already signing up for an International Chili Society-sanctioned cookoff that will begin at 8 a.m. on Oct. 23.
Local residents are also invited to join air-streamers later that day for Movie Night in which a free, outdoor movie will be shown after dark.
MSE board members said that because of the ongoing health crisis, air-streamers will not conduct open-house tours of their RVs this year.
The tours double as food drives, with non-perishable items accepted as admission and then donated to local food pantries.
Brumley said the Arkansas Razorback Airstream Club is exploring other ideas for the food drive.
MSE also came up with a new idea for Scare on the Square.
The Halloween event will be held Oct. 30 and downtown businesses will be open for trick-or-treating.
This year, MSE will host a costume pageant for children up to 15 years old during Scare on Square.