Juneteenth Celebration Set For June 20
All are welcome to learn the history, share the stories, taste the food, hear the music and see the talent of the community at this year’s Newberry Juneteenth event. The event will take place on Saturday, June 20 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
According to History.com, Juneteenth (short for June Nineteenth) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.
The city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism department has been working with a committee of local citizens to assist in coming up with a vision for this year’s event.
This year’s event will once again have a dedicated space to explain what Juneteenth is. There will be a Juneteenth history and artifacts exhibit this year in the Edward Kyzer Newberry Firehouse Conference Center, open to the public throughout the event.
The artifact exhibit features a large-scale canvas mural, videos celebrating the holiday and artifacts highlighting Newberry’s Black history.
Event Details
The event officially begins at 10 a.m. However, those interested in showing their support are invited to participate in a march at approximately 9:45 a.m. beginning at Bethlehem Baptist Church and ending at the event stage in Memorial Park.
At 10 a.m., the opening ceremony will include a singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” This hymn is commonly referred to as “The Black National Anthem,” and was originally written as a poem by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1990.
The stage, sponsored by Newberry College, will be stacked with a variety of entertainment throughout the event to include Chris Hopkins and The Soul Experience, Zumba, Legacy Steppers, and a group from Bethlehem Baptist Church.
Surrounding Memorial Park and Community Hall downtown will be the event’s food court. Foods featured will vary from barbecue to Caribbean, to soul food and more.
Business vendors will be placed along downtown Main Street in the area of Memorial Park, and include handcrafted goods, candles, fragrances, shorts and more.
MadMax Taphouse will provide beer and wine for this year’s event at 1014 Main Street. Patrons may visit their storefront location, get their over 21 wristband, order a beverage and take it within the event area.
Children’s activities will include an inflatable slide and obstacle course, and arts and crats hosted by the Newberry Arts Center, giving young artists a chance to express themselves about what Juneteenth means to them.
Parking for the Juneteenth event is free and on a first-come, first-served basis. A map of public parking areas can be found on the city’s website, www.cityofnewberry.com. For any questions, please contact the City of Newberry’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Office at 803-321-1015 prior to the event.
The City of Newberry thanks platinum sponsors of this year’s event, Samsung Electronic Home Appliances, Kraft Heinz, and Founder’s Federal Credit Union.
Staying in town for this year’s event? Directly following, consider “Da’ Gullah American Revolution Experience” at the Newberry Opera House at 4 p.m. This theatrical production by the Gullah Kinfolk Traveling Theater illuminates the contributions of the Gullah Geechee people during the American Revolution. Tickets are available online through the Newberry Opera House.
For more updates and information prior to the event, visit www.newberryjuneteenth.com.
All are welcome to learn the history, share the stories, taste the food, hear the music and see the talent of the community at this year’s Newberry Juneteenth event. The event will take place on Saturday, June 20 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
According to History.com, Juneteenth (short for June Nineteenth) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.
The city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism department has been working with a committee of local citizens to assist in coming up with a vision for this year’s event.
This year’s event will once again have a dedicated space to explain what Juneteenth is. There will be a Juneteenth history and artifacts exhibit this year in the Edward Kyzer Newberry Firehouse Conference Center, open to the public throughout the event.
The artifact exhibit features a large-scale canvas mural, videos celebrating the holiday and artifacts highlighting Newberry’s Black history.
Event Details
The event officially begins at 10 a.m. However, those interested in showing their support are invited to participate in a march at approximately 9:45 a.m. beginning at Bethlehem Baptist Church and ending at the event stage in Memorial Park.
At 10 a.m., the opening ceremony will include a singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” This hymn is commonly referred to as “The Black National Anthem,” and was originally written as a poem by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1990.
The stage, sponsored by Newberry College, will be stacked with a variety of entertainment throughout the event to include Chris Hopkins and The Soul Experience, Zumba, Legacy Steppers, and a group from Bethlehem Baptist Church.
Surrounding Memorial Park and Community Hall downtown will be the event’s food court. Foods featured will vary from barbecue to Caribbean, to soul food and more.
Business vendors will be placed along downtown Main Street in the area of Memorial Park, and include handcrafted goods, candles, fragrances, shorts and more.
MadMax Taphouse will provide beer and wine for this year’s event at 1014 Main Street. Patrons may visit their storefront location, get their over 21 wristband, order a beverage and take it within the event area.
Children’s activities will include an inflatable slide and obstacle course, and arts and crats hosted by the Newberry Arts Center, giving young artists a chance to express themselves about what Juneteenth means to them.
Parking for the Juneteenth event is free and on a first-come, first-served basis. A map of public parking areas can be found on the city’s website, www.cityofnewberry.com. For any questions, please contact the City of Newberry’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Office at 803-321-1015 prior to the event.
The City of Newberry thanks platinum sponsors of this year’s event, Samsung Electronic Home Appliances, Kraft Heinz, and Founder’s Federal Credit Union.
Staying in town for this year’s event? Directly following, consider “Da’ Gullah American Revolution Experience” at the Newberry Opera House at 4 p.m. This theatrical production by the Gullah Kinfolk Traveling Theater illuminates the contributions of the Gullah Geechee people during the American Revolution. Tickets are available online through the Newberry Opera House.
For more updates and information prior to the event, visit www.newberryjuneteenth.com.
