A city with deep roots in the African-American community, once a prime port for slave trade, is now hosting Maryland’s first Juneteenth festival.
The two-day celebration will begin Friday, June 18th with a VIP Reception and Awards Ceremony at the site of the Maryland Cultural & Conference Center (MC3) at 6 p.m. This will be an elegant evening filled with live entertainment, catered food, awards, networking, and African American art.
The celebration will continue on Saturday, June 19th, historically known as Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, for a parade and festival. This historic time marks our country’s second Independence Day, and this year’s celebration will be a first for the city of Annapolis!
The parade, tentatively scheduled pending COVID-19 health restrictions, will commence at the Annapolis City Dock at noon, home to the renowned Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial. The celebration will move towards the Bates Athletic Complex, where the festival will continue from 2pm until dusk. Live musical performances include The Chuck Brown Band, Young Dylan from Tyler Perry’s hit Nickelodeon show, and other talented musicians. There will be an array of local vendors, delicious food, art from the community, and more!
Phyllis “Tee” Adams, Executive Director and Visionary of the Annapolis Juneteenth Celebration organization, is the engine behind this festival. Mrs. Adams stated that “the vision for a Juneteenth festival here, in Annapolis, came to [her] in a dream. Since that moment [her] team [the Annapolis Juneteenth Planning Board] and this community have been working tirelessly to make it a reality.”
Harold “Mo” Lloyd, Anne Arundel County NAACP Youth & College Division President, is excited that Annapolis finally has a holiday to which he feels deeply connected. Lloyd is “stoked for this Juneteenth event because it is something that the Annapolis community truly needs. Black history and black communities are inextricable, and Juneteenth is a holiday that connects the two together by honoring our ancestor’s resilience and strength through a communal celebration.”
The family-friendly festival will be in compliance with Maryland COVID-19 guidelines, with an option for online streaming. The Annapolis Juneteenth Celebration was unanimously approved by The City of Annapolis in Resolution 51-20, which was proposed by Mayor Gavin Buckley and Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson. The Maryland House has since passed a Bill pushing for Juneteenth to be a paid state holiday.
