Community Juneteenth Festival this weekend

Published 12:53 pm Monday, June 10, 2024

The second annual Juneteenth Festival is just around the corner, set for  Saturday, June 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees can expect a day filled with music, performances, a diverse array of vendors, food trucks, and a vibrant celebration of a significant historical day. 

The event will take place at the Floyd Griffin Jr. Plaza on North Wayne Street. 

Dr. Damian Francis is director of Center for Health & Social Issues at Georgia College & State University. The center will host and sponsor the festival alongside the Harrisburg Community Collaborative.

“Juneteenth represents a national occasion to celebrate the unification of the peoples of the United States,” said Francis. “We were certainly motivated or inspired to do this event for the purpose of community building and community unity.”

Juneteenth became the nation’s 11th federal holiday in 2021 although it has been widely observed by many African-Americans to mark the end of slavery in the United States. 

On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were free, thus establishing the basis for the holiday.

Congress passed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act in June 2021 establishing June 19 as a federal holiday in the U.S.

Tommy French, co-chair of the Juneteenth organizing committee, shared how the inspiration for the festival came together.

“We wanted to bring a festival to Baldwin County that really represents our diversity, expresses our talents, showcases our artists, and involves everyone in a way we can all be proud of,” said French. 

This year’s festival is set to top the success of the previous event, with wider participation and a more diverse list of local talents. Various organizations from churches, nonprofits, and other sectors of the community plan to showcase their talents. There will also be participation from more than 30 local vendors. 

French said there have been improvements from last year’s festival, including alternative planning for inclement weather. While the committee members expect sunny skies for the upcoming event, they are securing food arrangements for the event regardless of weather conditions. There will be a variety of food options available, and attendees are encouraged to support the local restaurants. 

“We have commitments for food,” said French. “We’re better this year because it’s our second time around and we have practice, so it should be a much better festival as well.”

The committee has several partners, including Buffington’s, the Rotary Club of Milledgeville, Baldwin Family Connection, local businesses and Jay Wright. The Baldwin County NAACP and local churches including Northridge Christian Church are also offering their support.

The festival will feature various educational and inclusive activities, including a diversity table for art projects and a community cohesion quilt. 

“We aim to have activities for both children and adults that promote unity and community bonding,” Francis said.

Floyd Griffin Jr. is this year’s guest speaker. He will give the opening address to kick off the event. 

Committee organizers are also adding a segment called ‘The Occasion,’ which explains what Juneteenth is and its historical significance. Additionally, two long-standing community volunteers will be honored for their contributions.

“Juneteenth is not on a holiday about color, race or ethnicity,” said Francis. “It is about celebrating with great pride and dignity the progress we have made as a nation, recognizing that all people are free all people are created equal under God. It’s honoring what our forefathers visioned and fought for in terms of a place where all can be cherished.”

Both Francis and French invite everyone out to join in on the day’s festivities. 

“I would hope that when people leave that festival, they would go back and not only realize all the local talent and the artists and other things that we have here but also realize that with the right people coming together, you can do great things,” said French.