Junedeenth, Aberdeen's uniquely named Juneteenth celebration, is Sunday at Central Park
Aberdeen's first Juneteenth celebration is set for Sunday.
Corey Barbato and Corey McIntosh got the idea to start an event in town after being asked to participate in a Black History Month event at Northern State University during which they talked about the film “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
Barbato and McIntosh were also involved in planning Black Lives Matter protests and events in summer 2020 and decided to create a way to bring the community together again. That's why they formed the Junedeenth Organizing Committee.
The Junedeeth moniker, a combination of Juneteenth and the city's name, makes the event uniquely Aberdeen's.
“For me, Juneteenth signifies actual freedom,” Barbato said. “Like an actual fight for freedom that was won in this country.”
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The holiday is celebrated on June 19 every year, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. It’s a different kind of freedom than is celebrated on Independence Day, said Barbato. While July 4 celebrates freedom from government rule, Juneteenth celebrates the freedom of people.
For Barbato, the day also represents the struggle leading up to emancipation, including the abolitionist movement and the Civil War.
“It was an effort that was between white and Black people in this country,” he said.
Barbato's first Juneteenth event 'changed my life'
Barbato was inspired by the first Juneteenth event he attended in Harlem in New York City in 2017. He was at a bar called the Shrine, where the Juneteenth celebration included an open mic with live music all night.
“I think that was probably the perfect introduction to Juneteenth for me,” said Barbato. “Yeah, it changed my life.”
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The feedback they have received through the process of planning the Aberdeen event has been enthusiastic, said Barbato and McIntosh. McIntosh said he hopes it will become an annual celebration.
Planning consisted of a lot of community outreach, with Red Rooster Coffee House owners Dan and Angie Cleberg helping with the process. The Aberdeen Area Diversity Coalition and Multicultural Student Association at Northern State also helped to plan the event, Barbato said.
It is important that the Juneteenth event goes beyond telling the story of the emancipation of enslaved people and speaks on Black history and culture, said McIntosh.
“I want to gravitate more to that, you know, with the food, the storytelling, the makeshift art. Things like that are what I want us to really think about,” he said.
Junedeenth is free and open to everyone and will give people an opportunity to set aside their differences and get to know people with whom they might not regularly interact. Barbato said he hopes to see the community bond and social groups gain diversity.
Events start at noon with free yoga session
At noon, there will be a free yoga session led by Candace Briscoe of Fit and Fire Studios. After that, there will be yard games with a tournament and prizes, if enough people are interested, Barbato said. Most Junedeenth events will be at Central Park, 315 Second Ave. S.E.
An open mic session at 4 p.m. has been moved to Hub City Station Event Center, 1923 Sixth Ave. S.E., Suite 104, because of how hot it is supposed to be. The forecast calls for a high of 103. Live music, poetry, comedy and other types of performances are welcome
Junedeenth will go until 8 p.m. Tents for shade will be set up at Central Park, and Natural Abundance Food Co-op will provide water.
“I’m excited about being able to say we did it, for the first time ever, and then seeing the turnout and seeing people smiling and having a conversation,” McIntosh said.
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There is no admission charge, and Junedeenth has obtained permission from the city for attendees to grill in parking lots away from the grass. Folks should take their own grills and food, but charcoal grills are not allowed.
Barbato said people are encouraged to share their food with others and, if they are not grilling, to walk, bike or board to the event so there is room for people with grills to park.
Alcohol is not allowed at Junedeenth.
The League of Women Voters will be offering voter registration, and local businesses are welcome to donate prizes to the celebration. Emails can be sent to junedeenth@gmail.com. That's also the email to use to register for the open mic or yard games.
Follow the Junedeenth Facebook page for updates. Playlists have been created to get people ready for the celebration. Search Junedeenth on Spotify or Apple Music.
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Jundeenth celebration will be Sunday at Central Park in Aberdeen
