Downtown El Dorado was full of water, sunshine and laughter Saturday as the community got out to enjoy a full slate of events, beginning with the Farmers Market at 8 a.m. and ending with a performance by Low Cut Connie at the MAD Amphitheater. Participants largely avoided the rain forecast for the afternoon, but children got plenty wet thanks to a large water slide and sprinkler.
Local celebrities volunteered to work the dunking booth Saturday afternoon, including El Dorado football coach Steven Jones and county sheriff Ricky Roberts. Veronica Smith-Creer, the city’s mayor, volunteered between 2 and 3 p.m. and received several dunkings from children and city employees.
“It’s my first time,” she said, adding she’d taken photos with individuals who had paid to send her into the water. “I’ve been dunked at least 10 times… it feels like 30. But I’ve raised a lot of money.”
Several police officers came to support, and dunk, El Dorado Police Chief Kenny Hickman, although they paid the $20 to just press the button, rather than risk a throw. Funds from the booth went to Main Street El Dorado. Main Street Pizza was also on hand, as was King Kone sno cones.
Tailboard BBQ spent most of the afternoon testing and then grilling pizzas for Grill Wars. The group, comprised of local firefighters and in operation since 2011, were grilling pizza for the first time. They’ve had plenty of Grill Wars experience, though, said member Justin Tolin, and are preparing for a number of fall events, including South Arkansas Community College’s Outdoor Expo on Sept. 7 and Smoke on the Square on Oct. 24-26.
“We started doing ribs in 2011, and we wanted to come out and support Main Street,” Tolin said, adding that while Tailboard isn’t officially affiliated with the fire department, all of the group’s members work there. “There’s about eight-to-10 guys who are out at every event, depending who’s on shift.”
Fire Chief Chad Mosby was working on a margherita and shrimp pizza, deputy fire chief Shawn McCall had a supreme, and Tolin was perfecting a chicken bacon ranch creation.
Classic cars, trucks and modern muscle cars lined Washington Avenue on the west side of the courthouse for the Cruise Night car show. Taylor Ashcraft was showing off his 1984 Chevy El Camino SS. He said the Camino was both his and his dad’s dream car, so he jumped at a chance to own one.
At the MAD Amphitheater, Abby Lindsey was conducting a sound check with her parents looking on, the bass drum reverberating through downtown. Lindsey and Low Cut Connie later performed as part of MAD’s Summer Concert Series.