With multiple events scheduled in El Dorado this weekend and in coming days, the city is preparing for an influx of visitors.
Planned for this weekend are the Mayhaw Festival, Southern Food and Wine Festival, the Boomtown Opry, a performance by singer-songwriter Jason Isbell in the Murphy Arts District and possibly a soft opening of the MAD Farmers Market.
Several of the events are taking place in close proximity to Union Square and for their part, Main Street El Dorado and the Downtown Business Association are working together to entice visitors to explore the city’s historic downtown.
“There’s so much going on within two, three blocks of the square. We’re not presenting any of the events, but we want people to come downtown to shop and eat,” said Beth Brumley, executive director of Main Street El Dorado.
Brumley said MSE tried to book a mariachi band to perform downtown on Saturday to complement other events, promote downtown and to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but the endeavor was in vain.
The group discussed other ideas, such as hanging a couple of pinatas on the square, but none panned out.
MSE and the DBA are encouraging downtown merchants to come up with retail promotion ideas to increase foot traffic on the square and to draw people into their businesses.
Brumley said the effort is part of an overall strategy by Main Street to focus less on entertainment-based events and more on other projects to stimulate economic vitality and growth in downtown El Dorado.
To pull in more young adults and families, Main Street is looking into bids and prices for more Wi-Fi access, an ambient sound system and security cameras for downtown.
Brumley said Main Street plans to use grant money to fund some of the projects and to reach out for assistance on others.
“We thought those kinds would be more beneficial, particularly for a younger crowd,” she said.
She said Main Street plans to meet with the El Dorado Police Department and Mayor Frank Hash about the projects.
“We want to talk to them about what we want to do on the security side of things and to make sure we meet their requirements,” Brumley explained.
Main Street is also readying for the opening of a new bakery in the area of Cedar and Trinca near the El Dorado Federal Center.
Brumley said the business will provide specialty baked goods, such as birthday cakes, and is expected to open within the next few weeks.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.