Shared from the 6/8/2017 El Dorado  eEdition

MusicFest XXX now part of Murphy Arts District

Picture

EL DORADO — The 30th anniversary celebration of MusicFest will be wrapped into a multi-day affair that will also introduce the Murphy Arts District in Downtown El Dorado.

The grand opening for the new arts and entertainment district is set for Sept. 27 — Oct. 1. The headliners for the event are being announced today.

Main Street El Dorado is teaming up with El Dorado Festivals and Events, Inc. — now known as MAD (Murphy Arts District) — to present MusicFest this year.

To give the pearl anniversary of MusicFest the righteous commemoration it deserves, the two groups decided that it would be fitting to package the long-running music festival with the Murphy Arts District calendar of events.

MusicFest is scheduled for Sept. 29 and 30, and with the partnership comes other changes for the Main Street’s flagship fundraiser.

Beth Brumley, executive director of Main Street, said there are plans to extend the festival, which has traditionally been held for two days, to a third day, Oct. 1.

The headliners for the Sept. 28 and 29 MAD grand opening will double as the headliners for MusicFest.

Featured acts for Sept. 28 are Natasha Bedingfield and Train. On Sept. 29, the Robert Randolph Band, X-Ambassadors, ZZ Top and Ludacris are all slated to perform.

The shows will take place in the Griffin Music Hall and Murphy Amphitheater, two MAD venues that are under construction on Locust Street.

On Oct. 1, legendary crooner/songwriter Smokey Robinson is set to perform a show with the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in the amphitheater.

The Smokey Robinson/ Symphony concert will be free and open to the public, and Brumley said Main Street is planning activities leading up to the free show.

MusicFest

While MusicFest headliners will perform in MAD venues, other festival activities, including more musical performances, will be ongoing up the hill on the Union County Courthouse square, Brumley said.

The activities will be free and open to the public.

Three stages will feature local and regional acts, and Brumley said a detailed lineup will be announced later.

Returning after a multiyear hiatus will be the Miss MusicFest Pageant, which includes several age divisions.

Kids World, a perennial MusicFest favorite, will be beefed up with new attractions, including a magician, mobile video game station, and more.

Main Street also plans to introduce new food and craft vendors. Brumley said vendor space will be limited.

She pointed to one detail that has not changed about MusicFest.

“As always, we will need help from the community with volunteers! We will need volunteers from Wednesday, September 27th to Sunday, October 1,” Brumley said.

To secure vendor space or to volunteer for MusicFest, call the Main Street office at 870-862-4747. Those who would like to volunteer may also send an email to ivolunteer@mainstreeteldorado .org.

Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com .

See this article in the e-Edition Here