Dreaming of summer
Preservation Society brings summer to a grey day with Mayhaw kickoff
“It’s gray days outside – no sun, rain, cold; and so we just wanted to give you a little bit of sunshine today, and no better way to do that than to think of May,” said Cindy Langston, chairwoman of the Mayhaw Festival Committee for the South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society, yesterday.
Preservation Society Board members, El Dorado city officials and news reporters gathered yesterday at the Newton House to learn new details about the 28th annual Mayhaw Festival, which will be held on May 2.
“We have lots of new things coming this year,” Langston said.
The Mayhaw Festival has been a standard of El Dorado life since 1992, when it was created to help fund the expenses associated with maintaining the Newton House. Since then, the Preservation Society has used funds raised through the festival to expand the organization’s programming and their campus, which now also includes the Gallery of History and the Union
County Sports Hall of Fame.
“The way we can afford to do this is through this festival, raising the money so that we can offset some of the costs of running a place like this,” said Jack Wilson, business manager for the Preservation Society. “So that it’s all free to the public.”
This year’s Mayhaw Festival will include its usual staples, like the Mayhawlin’ 5K and 10K, the Mayhaw Jelly Biscuit Breakfast and the Classic Car and Bike Show held in
the Murphy USA parking lot. A full schedule can be found to the right.
The festival is an opportunity to for Union County residents to learn about the history of the region. Both the Gallery of History and the Newton House will be open for tours, with historical reenactments complete with costumed actors portraying John and Penelope Newton planned at the latter.
“We give you a view of what we call the ‘Great Migration,’ and its when residents started moving to this area in the late 1800’s and it goes through purchasing the land, getting the land grants, Ouachita Landing and Champagnolle Landing, all leading to the Newton family moving here and building this home,” Wilson said. “And you get that history from Penelope Newton herself.”
Festival attendees will be able to purchase the Preservation Society’s homemade mayhaw jelly and chutney, which is typically only available in limited supply due to its high demand. Other vendors selling everything from live plants to antiques will be on hand too, along with food truck vendors.
“We have over 50 vendors that will come,” Langston said. “We have people of every kind.”
Children can also find fun at the Mayhaw Festival. The ‘Kid’s Jam’ play area, which includes rock walls, face painting, bounce houses and train and carriage rides, will be available once again free of charge. Art by El Dorado High School students will be displayed at the Gallery of History.
One big change this year is the addition of a third stage for musical acts performing at the festival. Along with the two main stages, a community stage for various children’s choirs, including the El Dorado Children’s Choir and the Washington Middle School choir, has been added.
“We’re going to feature local groups from our community, specifically kid’s groups,” Langston said. “Several school groups are going to be performing and we’re really excited about that.”
The two main stages will feature folk and bluegrass musicians including the Haley Creek Boys, Mama and the Outlaws and Captain Ledge Band.
“We have amazing bands that play bluegrass that are coming,” Langston said. “If it’s a pretty day, you’ll see people out watching on their blankets and picnic chairs. It’s so picturesque, that’s one of my favorite things to see.”
“And with Mama and the Outlaws, a lot of people have seen them and its usually a duet, but this year they’re bringing some extra musicians with them and they’re going to have four or five pieces up there,” Wilson added. “It’ll be a completely different sound, so that will be really neat.”
The Mayhaw Festival will coincide with the Murphy Arts District’s sixth annual Southern Food & Wine Festival, which is scheduled for May 1 and 2. There is no cost to attend the Mayhaw Festival or to participate in any of the festivities. To learn more about the Mayhaw Festival, visit soarkhistory.com.