Juneteenth Festival returns to Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 16th Annual Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas returns to Charlotte on Thursday through Sunday in Independence Park.

Admission is free and the festival runs from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 pm. The Cultural Camp on Thursday begins at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m.

The Juneteenth Festival is a celebration of not only freedom for enslaved blacks in America, but freedom of all people that have been enslaved throughout time. The festival will offer a rich array of cultural traditions and diversity through food, arts and music.

It offers a broad variety of tantalizing, ethnic foods, plus an even greater selection of vendors displaying unique arts, crafts and clothing from around the world. Enjoy fabulous R&B, Blues, Jazz, Reggae, Hip-Hop and many more soul-stirring sounds as music and dance groups perform throughout the weekend's festivities.

Highlights of this year's festivities include:

• The ever popularly Cultural Camp on Thursday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School located behind Independence Park. Mask making, beading, storytelling and songs will renew the children ages 3 and up to a true cultural experience. Please bring a t-shirt for our tie-dye class (School doors will open at 10 am park in the bus lot; the camp will be in the gym).
• Friday will be the Drum Circle. The Drum Circle attracts music and dance enthusiasts of all ethnicities and from all over the U.S. and world.
• An Education Village is an integral part of the festival.  Events in this village range from lectures by prominent educators and historians, to book signings and discussions.  African-American history is on display for those wishing to simply gather information.
• Healthcare Village that is staffed with health care professionals from Carolinas Medical Center and First Care Medical clinic will be on site. There will be various free healthcare screenings available to all festival goers
• Children's Village children will enjoy the Juneteenth Festival as well, with our special area filled with entertaining and educational crafts, as well as a story teller, performing stage and other interactive activities designed just for kids.
• The Entertainment Stages spotlights all genres of entertainment to include fashion, dance, singing, poetry, a gospel fest and much more.
• The Multi-cultural vendors that travel from all across the country and parts of Africa showcasing food, exquisite art, music and culturally relevant specialty items add even more "flavor" to this must attend event.

This year the Juneteenth Festival planning committee expects about 50,000 attendees.

WSOC