El Dorado Insider Spring 2023 - 66

Photograph by Mark Fonville
A
commitment to entertainment
and fun has helped El Dorado
live up to its moniker as The
Festival City. Unwavering
in efforts to create economic
growth, El Dorado's leaders have
invested in crafting a destination that
always has a full calendar of events.
From festivals to cook-offs to concerts
to golf tournaments, El Dorado knows
how to show visitors a good time in
small-town style. Several of our premier
events and venues are detailed below.
For a complete and up-to-date listing
of what's happening next in El Dorado,
check out www.goeldorado.com.
El Dorado's largest and longestrunning
festival is MusicFest. For
35 years, this signature event has
drawn crowds to downtown El Dorado
with music, food, and fun for all ages.
Named Arkansas Festival of the Year
seven times, the event features multiple
stages and a wide variety of musical
genres and artists, with big name acts
and local musicians. Food trucks and
local vendors line the streets around the
courthouse square and a Kids World
area offers fun rides and activities for
children of all ages. The festival is held
in early October - a perfect time of year
to spend time with family and friends
outdoors. MusicFest is Main Street
El Dorado's largest fundraiser with
proceeds going into economic vitality
and beautification of downtown
El Dorado.
Mayhaw jelly is the centerpiece of
the Mayhaw Festival, a free family
66 El Dorado Insider
The South Arkansas Outdoor Expo
is held each September.
friendly street festival hosted by the
South Arkansas Historical Preservation
Society the first weekend in May.
This festival is centered around the
historic Newton House, where streets
are blocked off for an entire day of
community fun. Events kick off early
with a 5/10K run, followed by a breakfast
of homemade biscuits and mayhaw
jelly. An antique car show, local and
regional artisans, exhibitions, flora and
fauna merchants, food vendors, live
demonstrations, a petting zoo, kid zone,
and tours of the Newton House Museum
round out activities throughout the day,
all accompanied by a roster of local and
regional musicians.
The South Arkansas Outdoor
Expo, held each September on the
grounds of the El Dorado Conference
Center, celebrates all things outdoors.
This free event features vendor booths,
exhibitors, inflatables, a car show, live
music, and demonstrations. A staple of
the expo since its beginning is the rib
cook-off, which draws a multitude of
participants and produces some very
tasty rib plates for sale to the public. The
event is a fundraiser for the SouthArk
Foundation, which supports learning at
South Arkansas Community College.
The Murphy Arts District (MAD)
is a world-class arts and entertainment
venue located steps away from the
downtown square. Featuring an outdoor
amphitheater and the First Financial
Music Hall, MAD is home to a wide
variety of events, maintaining a calendar
of concerts, festivals, and family friendly
community events throughout the year.
Artists Brad Paisley, Train, ZZ Top,
Scotty McCreery, Smokey Robinson, and
many others have performed here, just to
name a few. Visit www.eldomad.com to
see who will be here next! p
The annual Union County Fair offers
rides, exhibits, and fun for the
whole family.
http://www.goeldorado.com http://www.eldomad.com
El Dorado Insider Spring 2023

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