COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Juneteenth Ohio Festival is returning to Genoa Park this Saturday and Sunday, including the celebration’s first-ever parade in Columbus.
Celebrated on June 19, Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the United States when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to inform the state’s residents that slavery had been abolished — two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
The holiday is also known as Black Independence Day, Freedom Day, and Emancipation Day. Even though slavery was abolished more than 150 years ago, Juneteenth was not made a federal holiday until 2021.
“Slavery destroyed these families, these Black families,” said Mustafaa Shabazz, organizer for the festival and owner of Ujamaa Bookstore. “The festival is helping to rebuild these families.”
Live entertainment, vendors, first-ever parade
This weekend, guests will find an array of food, live entertainment, vendors, a kids corner, community resources, a car show and a career fair at Genoa Park from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Musical artists will take the stage throughout the weekend, including The Flex Crew, Nellie Tiger Travis, Lakeside, The Stone City Band and more.
Gate admission from noon to 3 p.m. is free. After 3 p.m., admission to the festival is $20 per person. However, tickets purchased online are $5 for children and $15 for adults.
On Monday, NBC4 is sponsoring the festival’s first-ever parade starting at 10:30 a.m. at Hudson Avenue. Spectators will proceed southbound down Cleveland Avenue, culminating at 11th Avenue at the Four-Corners/Point of Pride. The parade will feature marching bands, community organizations, and more.
Mayo Makinde, founder of the Makinde Foundation presenting the parade, said Juneteenth represents “a significant step towards recognizing the cruelty of slavery and striving for freedom throughout the country’s history.”
“The parade acknowledges that although challenges persist in some communities, it is important to celebrate past achievements to inspire others and continue fighting for freedom for all people,” said Makinde.
Uniting the Black community
Shabazz told NBC4 he didn’t learn about Juneteenth until 1989, when him and others in the Black community began honoring the holiday with a gathering of about 50 people at the Neighborhood House. From there, the festival expanded to Franklin Park before landing at Genoa Park where it is hosted every June.
Now, the festival continues to strengthen the Black community, raise awareness and provide resources.
“What more better reason, than during these celebrations, bring all the resources, bring all the people together, to be able to help, you know, our African American families, our African American communities,” said Shabazz.
Visit the Juneteenth Ohio Festival from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. View show times and purchase admission tickets here.
