From festivities to rallies, art exhibits, here's how to celebrate Juneteenth in Wooster

WOOSTER ― Juneteenth is fast approaching. That means copious events ranging from festivities to rallies and art exhibits will be held across Wooster, all in honor of Black freedom in America.

Wayne County organizations and nonprofits are hosting and partnering up with weekly events all month starting Saturday.

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The events aim to honor June 19, 1865, the day 158 years ago when the last enslaved people learned of their freedom in Galveston, Texas.

A celebration of Black culture, history

Having started on June 1, the Wayne Center for the Arts is hosting the Afrocentric Visions Exhibit in the Gault Gallery.

The exhibit hosts a slew of local artists including Allison Allison from Art of Inclusion, who helped organize the month-long event alongside the Wooster-Orrville NAACP.

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With more than 30 works of art, the submissions focus on the Black experience and African American culture, according to the project website.

These artistic expressions include a range of mediums like paintings, sculptures, mixed media, textiles, jewelry and multimedia works, said Tiffany Leeper, development manager for the arts center.

"Wayne Center for the Arts has a deep commitment to giving space for diverse voices and conversation through the medium of art,” said Sara Starr Brink, executive director of WCA. “We are pleased to work with Art of Inclusion on this event.”

Artists will be awarded for their work. The art can be purchased with the arts center retaining a 30% gallery commission fee.

From Kids' Day to festivities

Kids' Day

The first event will be hosted by Main Street Wooster from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday in the Wayne County Public Library Wooster branch parking lot.

This event will kick off the summer season with games and activities, according to Main Street Wooster.

Black Stories Hour

The Wayne County Public Library will host Black Stories Hour at 2 p.m. June 14 at the Wooster branch, according to the Wooster-Orrville NAACP Facebook.

It will highlight poet and author Amanda Gorman's "Change Sings." Gorman was the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. She spoke at President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021.

Guests will learn about Gorman's 2021 book titled "Change Sings: A Children's Anthem."

The picture book takes characters and readers on a journey to find their voices and help them understand that they can make change happen, according to the book description.

Juneteenth Festival

A catered celebration of Juneteenth will be held outside the Wayne Center for the Arts on the back lawn.

Running from noon to 3 p.m. on June 15, the event will feature games, face painting, ice cream and food catered by 2 Guyz Break Break Bread.

Families and kids are invited, according to the art center website.

Official Afrocentric Visions community event

While the Afrocentric Vision event spans the month of June, the Wooster-Orrville NAACP and the Wayne Center for the Arts will host a specific event celebrating the exhibit.

From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on June 17, guests are invited to dine on food and talk about Juneteenth and freedom, according to the NAACP Facebook page.

The event is located at the Wayne Center for the Arts.

Juneteenth annual rally

The annual Juneteenth rally will be held at 11 a.m. on the square in downtown Wooster, just before the daily Black Lives Matter demonstration on June 19, according to the NAACP, an event organizer.

This event will feature speakers from across Wayne County who speak about Black history and the significance of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth Cookout

After the June 19 rally at noon is the fourth annual Juneteenth Community Cookout at Christmas Run Park.

The cookout celebration is free and will feature free food ranging from corn on the cob to burgers, hotdogs, ribs and vegan-friendly meals, according to the Eventbrite page.

The community is asked to bring sides of all kinds like mac and cheese, salads, vegan-friendly foods, deserts, beans or anything else.

Starting at 1 p.m. is the kids' skills challenge and dunk contest followed by a three-on-three basketball tournament at 2 p.m.

Kids should register for the challenge by 12:30 p.m. All basketball players must be registered for the tournament by 1 p.m.

To learn more, visit the Eventbrite page.

Closing ceremony

The closing reception and awards ceremony for the Afrocentric Vision exhibit is June 30 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wayne Center for the Arts.

The event will be catered by Murphy Brown Events and feature Archbishop Everett Caldwell of the Triumphant Church of Wooster.

Everett will round out a month of events by reflecting on Juneteenth and Black theology in America., according to the WCA.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Honoring Juneteenth: festivities, cookouts and more planned for June