By Tia Lyons
Staff Writer
STRONG — The city of Strong is reviving an annual tradition that community leaders are hoping will unite residents and bring visitors to the east end of Union County.
The Strong Fall Festival will reboot at 10 a.m. on Saturday with a variety of activities, vendors and entertainment. The event will be held in Downtown Strong in front of the city park.
For years, the festival was one of the most anticipated annual events in Union County, with a bevy of family-friendly activities, including lawn mower and tractor races, a pageant and cake/pie auction, a charitable fundraiser that was backed by Herring Furniture.
Allison Howell, city treasurer/recorder, said no one knew the 2004 Festival would be last one for a decade.
Not long after Howell’s husband, Mayor Daryl Howell, took office, the entire festival/park committee inexplicably resigned, she said.
Allison Howell said murmurings throughout the community blamed political differences with the new city administration as the reason for the committee’s departure.
Whatever the reason, she said the city suffered from the loss of its flagship event.
“For years, there were people who tried to do it again, but it didn’t work out,” Allison Howell said.
That all changed months ago when she introduced the idea of reviving the festival to the Strong City Council.
“All of the surrounding cities were having festivals, and we wanted to have a festival to bring the community together again,” she said.
“The city council went along with it. Everybody seems to be excited. Morale is high, and we’re really looking forward to it. I can’t believe we’re doing something on this level,” she continued.
Volunteers excitedly stepped forward to help out, and Allison Howell said city officials agreed they needed someone with experience to help pull the event off.
Enter Benito Glosson of El Dorado.
Allison Howell said city officials wanted to tap into Glosson’s background in the entertainment business and experience as an event promoter and organizer to help set just the right tone for the family-friendly event.
Glosson, a former backup dancer and singer for legendary rap star MC Hammer, is the founder and presenter of the annual Juneteenth Festival in El Dorado.
“I am extremely humbled and happy that they chose me to be the host for the re-entry of the Fall Festival in Strong,” Glosson said.
“When I got the call I couldn’t believe it. Once we went over the preliminaries, and they told me what they needed, I said, ‘No problem,’” he explained.
Glosson turned to his contacts in the music and entertainment industry, with consideration for the market and demographics of the area.
“I reached out to (event promoter Michael Jackson of Mr. Mike’s Productions), and I know he does blues shows, and I looked at R&B and gospel. That’s really big here,” Glosson said.
He and the planning committee booked southern soul artist and Texarkana, Texas, native Donnie Ray, known for the singles “Letter to My Baby,” “Too Many Mechanics,” “Sweeter to Me,” and “Who’s Loving You.”
The talent roster includes local and regional acts, with American Idol alum LeBryant Crew of El Dorado, the Curry Chapel AME church choir, The Church Boys gospel group, the CTC Band of Spearsville, La., and Tha Bucketheads, a childrens’ bucket-drumming group from Dallas.
Two of the acts have local connections, he said, noting that Ray’s wife, April, is from El Dorado, and the mother of one of the members of Tha Bucketheads is also an El Dorado native.
Glosson said Tha Bucketheads’ founder and director is a former touring buddy from his days with Hammer.
“We’re going to have vendors selling corn dogs, BBQ, hamburgers, you name it,” he said.
Glosson and Allison Howell said they have been working overtime promoting the festival on TV and radio in South Arkansas and North Louisiana.
Social media has also been a beneficial tool to help spread the word about the festival, organizers said.
“We want to bring new people to the city from surrounding areas to help bring in revenue and shop at the stores we have here,” Allison Howell said. “We think it’s a positive thing for our city.”
With the excitement and the support that has been exhibited for the festival reboot, she said organizers are already looking ahead with sights on extending the festival longer than a day.
“We definitely want to make it an annual event like it was before, and we’re talking about ways we can grow the festival. We want everybody to come out and have a good time,” she said.
The Fall Festival will also feature a DJ, bouncy houses, carnival rides and other activities for children.
Admission is free until 7 p.m.
After 7 p.m., the streets will be cleared in preparation for the concert by Ray. Admission will then be $10.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at Strong City Hall, Mr. Mike’s Music and Artwork in El Dorado or by calling Glosson at (870) 866-7763.
Allison Howell said proceeds from the event will be funneled back into the Park Committee to help fund other family-friendly events in the community, particularly free events for children.
For more information, call Glosson or Strong City Hall at (870) 797-7343.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.