Mark Givens, Executive Director of Main Street El Dorado, was born and raised in Sparkman, Arkansas. After gaining a masters degree in physical education from Henderson State University, Givens coached college basketball as an assistant at Arkansas State University and his alma mater, Henderson State. Prior to his coaching career, he worked camps for distinguished coaches including Steve Fisher at Michigan, Roy Williams at Kansas and Billy Tubbs at Texas Christian University.
From 1998 to 2006, Givens owned and operated Givens Entertainment, producing concerts and sports events throughout the Mid-South region. During this period, he worked with such acts as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Pat Green, Pantera, Bush, Widespread Panic and many, many more.
Givens was named Executive Director of Main Street El Dorado, a non-profit organization, in August of 2006. In his position, Givens oversees many annual events hosted by Main Street El Dorado including the award winning MusicFest El Dorado (celebrating it’s 24th anniversary in 2011), the annual “Bugs, Bands & Bikes” festival as well as Showdown at Sunset, which was named to the “Top-100 Events in North America by the American bus Association”. MusicFest El Dorado was named Arkansas Festival of the Year in both 2007 and 2009 and has featured high-caliber talent such as the Charlie Daniels Band, Joan Jett and the Blackherts, Uncle Kracker, Blues Traveler, Joe Nichols and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. In 2009, Main Street El Dorado was named one of the Top-5 Downtowns in America by receiving the Great American Main Street Award by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Givens has also formed a partnership with the El Dorado Advertising & Promtoion Commission in revitalizing the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium. The alliance has led to seven consecutive successful productions incluidng Sold-Out performances by Point of Grace/Selah, Jeremy Camp, Travis Tritt, MercyMe and Merle Haggard.
Along with the number of annual events, Givens also works continuously with various Downtown Revitalization Grants as well as downtown improvement projects. He serves as Vice-President of Tourism for the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce and is on the Board of Directors for the Arkansas Festival & Events Association.
Givens shares his life in El Dorado with his beautiful daughter Presley who is entering the 1st Grade at Hugh Goodwin Acadamy for the Arts. Shes loves singing, songwriting, playing guitar and anything relating to art. In 2011, she played a role in the film “The Bloodstone Diaries; Thief of all Things”.
For further information, please contact Mark Givens at 870-862-4747 or e-mail at mainstreeteldorado@suddenlinkmail.com.
