The Fayette Area Historical Initiative (FAHI) will hold its third annual Juneteenth event from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 15, in Baldwin Park, located at 500 Swanson St., in Martinsville.
Charisse Hairston, FAHI’s executive director, said the Juneteenth Homecoming is a free community event that will include food trucks, live music, entertainment like dance, art, bounce houses, a black-owned winery, and more.
“It’s a great opportunity for the community to come out and” have a good time. “We’re trying to expose the community to things they didn’t know exists, while at the same time celebrating this awesome holiday and provide something for the community as well,” she said.
Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. It was first celebrated in Texas, where the last enslaved people were freed on June 19, 1865, after the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. Hairston said Juneteenth has been celebrated in Texas for a long time.
“Now in the last few years, it is something that has gained the attention, I would say, of the entire United States and the whole world,” she said.
While the enslavement of African Americans is a large part of Juneteenth, Hairston said FAHI and the festival also will focus on the perseverance.
“So, in doing that, during Juneteenth festivals, we try to showcase the different diaspora of the African American heritage to the type of music,” she said. “A lot of people don’t understand we have so many different types of music, and that’s why we’re doing like an old school gospel, then a new school gospel – a more contemporary form. Then we also have like the praise dance you will see in some of our churches, but then we also have an African-style dance, and” then there’s R&B music and its styles.
Hairston estimates 1,000 people will attend the event; last year, that number was estimated at 800-1,000 people.
“I just want people to come out, and actually support it in person. That would be great,” Hairston said.
There will be about half a dozen food trucks on site as well as a dessert truck, dessert vendors, fresh lemonade vendors, and other food and craft vendors.
“It will be a big variety of things. You don’t have to purchase anything to come to the festival, but those things will be there,” she said.
“The festival is free, so all the entertainment, the singing, the dance – all that’s free just to come and bring you a lawn chair. We also have the bleachers at the park,” she said.
Musical and dance performances are scheduled by Larnell Starkey & the Spiritual Seven, Fresh W.I.N.D, Christoff Hairston of America’s Got Talent fame, RockSteady, and Kuumba Dance Ensemble, Inc.
The guest host will be The Incredible DJ Joe. from 102Jamz Drank on the Rox Morning Show.
For more information, go to Facebook.com/FayetteAreaHistoricalInitiative.
