The West Hartford Juneteenth CommUNITY Celebration will be held Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Town Hall.

Submitted

The public is invited for a day filled with inspirational messages, music, vendors, art, and activities for all ages at West Hartford’s fourth annual Juneteenth CommUNITY Celebration on Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the West Hartford Town Hall lot.

The festivities kick off at 11 a.m. with African music and dance by Friendz World Music honoring our ancestors.

Event speakers include Bobbi Brown, President of the Bridgeport NAACP and founder of 100 Girls Leading. Latoya Fernandez, founder of Beyond Circles Restorative Practices and West Hartford Board of Education, will emcee the celebration. Mayor Shari Cantor and Town Councilor Carol Blanks will share reflections on the importance of celebrating this federal holiday. Also, Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas will share her thoughts on the importance of Juneteenth and civic engagement.

Music and dance performances include the Queen of Summer Concerts, Latanya Farrell, Friendz World Music, beats by DJ B-EZ, Studio 860, Jazz musician, Haneef Nelson Trio, R& B Vocalist, A. Marquis, Hula Hooping by Hood Hula, and student performers Lyric Bryant (Hall) and Emma Billings (Conard), as well as former student Kayshawn Savage (Hall). Billings will sing the Black National Anthem.

Join the Rise UP for the Arts Crew to create one-of-a-kind artwork for Juneteenth. Young and old alike can participate in a hula-hoop contest. Visit the over 30 vendors, including Julian Wattson’s table, to explore what makes a community through conversation and grab a book from the Beyond Circles Mobile Library and John P. Webster Library. Juneteenth Community Day culminates with a community dance party. Free Juneteenth commemorative swag bags will be given to the first 200 attendees.

Be sure to visit the Health & Wellness Expo sponsored by Hartford Health Care.

This event is being made possible by the Sustainable CT Match Fund Grant and local sponsors, The Kachwaha Team at Keller Williams Realty, Beyond Circles, Be Mindful Clinic, Playa Bowl, and Bergenn Financial. Event partners include Concerned Parents of Color of West Hartford, RiseUP for Arts, WHAASCO, School of Rock, the Town of West Hartford, West Hartford Public Schools, West Hartford Public Library and West Hartford Community Interactive (WHCi).

Two related events will take place on Wednesday, June 11 and Saturday, June 14 at the Noah Webster Library, 20 South Main Street. Historian John Mills of Alex Breanne Corporation will speak about the history of Juneteenth and Connecticut and children’s author Charnaie Gordon will lead a Juneteenth storytime at 1 p.m. for children ages 3-6

“This year’s celebration will be will be on for the books, a day of joy, education and most importantly highlighting community and partnership” said Juneteenth chair, Adrienne Billings-Smith.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/WHJuneteenthCelebration.

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