Between Editions

“Unbelievable! fantastic! wonderful!”

Jackson Smith shouted these three words over and over as he jumped and skipped along Main Street on Wednesday — his way of reacting to news that super group Metallica and country crooner Garth Brooks will be in town the first weekend of October to headline at Musicfest.

Smith, along with hundreds of others gathered outside the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce for the announcement, cheered festival organizer Mark Givens, who said this year’s event will be unlike anything South Arkansas has ever seen.

“We expect many thousands of people to attend this year, and we couldn’t be more excited,” Givens said after the announcement. “We are currently working on lodging options and figuring out how we are going to accommodate the throngs of people who will descend on us for this massive concert.”

To handle the large crowds, Givens said a decision was made to move the festival to the Union County Fairgrounds because of its size and location. Musicfest has traditionally been held in downtown El Dorado.

El Dorado Mayor Mike Dumas, who sported a tight Metallica T-shirt featuring two large skulls, said he is “looking forward to seeing one of my favorite groups.” Dumas said that he plans to address the city council on Thursday to declare this October “heavy metal month” in El Dorado.

Dumas, who once toured with the hardrock group in the 1980s as their public relations specialist, said he had a “key role” in securing the band’s date for Musicfest.

“I don’t care if we have to blow all the El Dorado Forward money to make sure these guys have a good time, we will do it! Party on!” Dumas said.

On the country side, Brooks will mark his first post-retirement concert when he takes the stage this October at the fairgrounds. His publicist said he is “looking forward to playing South Arkansas.”

El Dorado Alderman Vertis Mason, wearing a traditional 10-gallon, Texas-sized cowboy hat, said she will host Brooks at her El Dorado home. She suggested that Dumas and her fellow aldermen should also declare October “country month,” in addition to “heavy metal month.”

“It’s only fair,” Mason said, tipping her hat. “I’m a country girl at heart, and Garth is just a dreamboat. I love him to death. I really don’t care about hearing Metallica.”

By mid-afternoon, signs and welcome banners were already sprouting up all over the city. And at city hall, Dumas hoisted a large skull and crossbones flag in front of the building to welcome Metallica to town.

Meanwhile, Mason plans to construct an Olympic-sized, cowboy-hat-shaped swimming pool for the Brooks after party.

“We’re gonna fire up the pina colada machines and let the thunder roll!” Mason shouted. “Let the party begin!”

Since before Memorial Day things have been so busy that no one has had spare time to blog. And, unfortunately, that is the only time we get to blog is in our spare time. We still have a newspaper to print. Anyway, some of our staff members, myself included, have also been ill. This has greatly contributed to our lack of posts as well.

Just know that we will be back in full form soon, hopefully.