CAMDEN — By KAITLYN RIGDON
El Dorado News-Times
The 31st annual MusicFest will kick off Thursday with Sheila E performing at the Murphy Arts District’s amphitheater at 6:30 p.m.
Doors are set to open in 5:30 p.m.
Sheila E will be followed with performances by Morris Day & the Time at 7:45 p.m., and George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic at 9 p.m. at the amphitheater.
At 10:30 p.m., the Dazz & Brie Official Funkadelic After-party will be held in the Griffin Restaurant and High Strangeness will perform in the beer garden
“I think that this year’s MusicFest will be probably not as big as last year’s opening weekend but will definitely be larger than kind of all of the MusicFests that we’ve had in the past for sure,” said Austin Barrow, MAD’s president and COO.
The three-day event is a partnership between MAD and Main Street El Dorado. While MusicFest headliners will perform in MAD venues, other festival activities will be taking place on the Union County Courthouse square on Friday and Saturday.
Beth Brumley, executive director of Main Street said the usual streets will be closed for MusicFest on Saturday. Streets that will be closed include Main, Jefferson, Washington, Elm, Cedar and Locust streets. “It’s going to be the typical streets that are closed from Northwest to Hill,” Brumley added.
Festivities on the square will begin Friday at 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., with limited attractions open including the 70 foot ferris wheel, mechanical bull and zip line, which will be available for $5, per entry.
Brumley said there will be something for everyone on the square, including free live music Friday night.
Entry to the square will be free this year, but some additional attractions will have an entry fee.
On Saturday, wristbands may be purchased for $20 to unlimited access to the attractions, with the exception of the zip line and ferris wheel, which will be $5 per entry.
Attractions will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The Miss MusicFest Pageant will be held today at the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium.
Participants may register today between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The pageant will begin at 2 p.m., with admission being $5.
Other attractions include four man bungee jump, rock wall, nascar simulator, pit stop challenge, joust, cannon ball blaster, laser tag, merry-go-round and motorcycle-go-round.
Other events taking place downtown Saturday:
MCSA k5/10K run:
Check in begins at 6:30 a.m.
Start time: 7:30 a.m.
End time: 11 a.m.
America’s Got Talent Flight Crew:
Will be held on Washington St. at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
LANXESS Kid’s World:
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Includes inflatables, face painting, stilt walkers, magicians and hula-hoopers.
Baggo Tournament - Adult and kid divisions:
Will be on Washington Street in front of First Financial Bank.
Player check in is noon to 12:30 p.m.
First place in the adult division will win $1,000.
Dutch Oven Gathering:
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. a Dutch Oven Gathering will be held at 510 N. Jackson. Pots on the table at 1 p.m. for those who participate in the cooking experience.
Historic Trolley Tour:
At 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. a Historic Trolley Tour will begin in Historic Downtown El Dorado and will include selections from the Historic Downtown Walking Tour, which originally have 16 locations. The tour will then take the trolley to four offsite locations to be announced.
At the Murphy Arts District:
Day One - Thursday
• 6:30 p.m. - Sheila E (MAD Amp)
• 7:45 p.m. - Morris Day & the Time (MAD Amp)
• 9 p.m. - George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (MAD Amp)
• 10: 30 p.m. - Dazz & Brie Official Funkadelic Afterparty (Griffin Restaurant)
Day Two - Friday
• 6 p.m. - Lita Ford (MAD Amp)
• 7:30 p.m. - Bret Michaels (MAD Amp)
• 9 p.m. - Sammy Hagar & the Circle (MAD Amp)
• 10:30 p.m. - Josh Walker & the Tannehill Band - Official Red Rocker Afterparty (Griffin Restaurant)
• 11 p.m. - 2 Chainz (Griffin Music Hall)
Day Three - Saturday
• 5:30 p.m. - Jimmie Allen (MAD Amp)
• 6:15 p.m. - Carly Pearce (MAD Amp)
• 7:30 p.m. - Justin Moore (MAD Amp)
• 9 p.m. - Toby Keith (MAD Amp)
• 10:30 p.m. - Mary Heather & the Sinner Official Toby Keith Afterparty (Griffin Restaurant)
• 11 p.m. - Gucci Mane (Griffin Music Hall)
MAD ticket prices:
For a three day pass, pit tickets cost $190 and general admission cost $130 until Wednesday.
On Thursday, tickets will be $220 for pit and $160 for general admission. Three day passes do not include tickets for 2 Chainz or Gucci Mane concerts.
Tickets for 2 Chainz are $85 for pit and $70 for general admission.
Tickets for Gucci Mane are $75 for pit and $60 for general admission.
Single day tickets for amphitheater shows are $70 for pit and $50 for general admission until Wednesday. The day of the shows, pit tickets are $80 with general admission being $65.