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6/17/06
- TWIN CITIES JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION INC
Twin Cities Juneteenth Celebration Incorporated
A Minnesota Non Profit Organization –
News Release
Twin Cities 21st Annual Juneteenth Festival on June 17th
Celebrate 141 years of FREEDOM at the Twin Cities 21st Annual
Juneteenth Festival, which will take place Saturday, June 17th,
11:00AM to 7:00PM at Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis. It’s
the largest gathering of its kind in the Upper Midwest, marking
the 141st anniversary of the June 19th, 1865 freeing of slaves in
Galveston, Texas.
Juneteenth and Emancipation celebrations have been
commonplace in Minneapolis and St. Paul since at least 1889.
Over 60,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s
festivities, an amazing feat for a gathering initiated twenty one
years ago in the basement of Oak Park Neighborhood Center!
Representing the end of slavery and the beginning of freedom
for many people, Juneteenth has a focus on education, self
improvement and celebration! This year’s event promises to
provide opportunities for plenty of each. It includes community
betterment forums, contests, arts, music and more.
Juneteenth Day Festivities, Saturday, June 17th
• Community Breakfast
8:00AM - 10:00AM, at Penn and Plymouth Avenue North in
Minneapolis, hosted by Café Tatta Bunna and presented by
General Mills and the Black Chamber of Commerce
• First Annual Walk for A Cancer Cure
8:30AM Warm-up, 9AM Walk, registration and T-shirts free.
Call 612-529-8136 for further information
• Juneteenth Parade
10:00AM - 11:00AM featuring Miss Black USA, Celi Marie Dean,
as this year’s Grand Marshall is presented by Ameriprise
Financial. The parade starts at Penn and Plymouth Avenue
North, travels south on Penn to Glenwood, then west on
Glenwood to Theodore Wirth Park.
• Drumming Circle
11:00AM – 11:30AM bring your drum and your spirit and join
this circle at the Juneteenth Arts Village to kick-off the festival
• “Kum-Pie-Yah” Sweet Potato Pie Contest
Presented by Deep Roots Desserts, register by June 14th. For
contest information, call 763-544-9366.
• Juneteenth Festival
11:00AM – 7:00PM at Theodore Wirth Park, featuring:
• More than 150 vendors in Market Place
• Canoeing on Wirth Lake
• Health Pavilion
• Obsidian Arts Village
• Juxta Community Mural
• Drill Team Showcase
• Senior’s Pavilion
• Read-a-Thon
• A full day of Music, dance, spoken word and poetry at the
Dred Scott stage, the Arts & Culture stage and the Harriet
Tubman 2006 stage
- more -
Don’t wait until June 17th to celebrate!
While Juneteenth is the recognition and celebration of the June
19th, 1865 freeing of slaves in Galveston Texas, the Twin Cities
Juneteenth Festival lasts the whole month. Juneteenth includes
a variety of informative, entertaining presentations,
performances, art exhibits and contests.
For information about the Juneteenth Celebration call 612-238-
FREE (3733) or - www.juneteenthminnesota.org
2006 Juneteenth Photo Contest – New this Year!
Juneteenth invites local amateur and professional photographers
to submit photos, taken at any of the 2006 Juneteenth
programs, for consideration for use in our 2007 promotions.
The photographer submitting the best overall selection of
photographs will be provided with a free marketplace booth and
a solo art exhibition at the festival in 2007. Juneteenth will
notify the winner by August 1, 2006.
For more information, call 612-238-FREE (3733)
2006 Sponsors: American Family Insurance, Ameriprise
Financial, Cargill, Carlson Companies, Ceridian Corporation,
General Mills, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board,
QUITPLAN, State Farm Insurance, Target Stores, USTA, Thomson
Publishing. Media sponsors: Black Pages Monthly, KFAI Radio,
KMOJ Radio, One Nation News, Minnesota Spokesman Recorder,
WCCO Radio, JACK 104.1, The Urban Mass Media Group.
Partners: African American Family Services, Wilderness Inquiry
This year's Juneteenth is a Tobacco Free, Alcohol Free, Drug Free
event |