Lincoln Junteenth honors past with day filled with music, speakers and fireworks

Jean Ann Miller, Lincoln Courier
·3 min read

The Hunt for Foundation is hosting the Juneteenth Festival of Lincoln from 3 p.m. until midnight Sunday, June 19 at the Logan County Fairgrounds.

The free event is asking the public to register for planning purposes at: https://JuneteenthFestivalofLincoln.eventbrite.com. There will also be a registration in person station available at the fairgrounds.

The Juneteenth Festival begins with the B.A.P.P.'s Pageant on Saturday at noon at Lincoln Elks Country Club, with Sonja Petty, Ms. Plus Cultural Galaxy 2021-2022, serving as mistress of ceremony.

Family friendly activities will run from 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday with fireworks starting at approximately at 9 p.m. and adults only portion of the event will be from 9:30 p.m. until midnight.

A parade will kick off the event starting at 2:15 p.m. Sunday at Scully Park. The parade route will travel from Scully Park going to McLean St. to Broadway St., the route will turn left onto Broadway St. and continue to Logan St. and then turn left to Fifth St. The parade will travel down Fifth St. until reaching Postville Dr., where they will make a right turn and continue to the Logan County Fairgrounds entrance.

Juneteenth 2021 participants enter the fairgrounds during the walking parade from downtown Lincoln.
Juneteenth 2021 participants enter the fairgrounds during the walking parade from downtown Lincoln.

Lincoln’s Anytime Fitness owner and co-owner of Elite Kicks Mario Cannon will be the celebrity host along with State Journal-Register’s Tiffany Jackson as the co-host. Key note speaker will be Bloomington, Illinois Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe.

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Judith Hunt Glenn, spokesperson for the event, said there will be a wide variety of activities for all

"There will be plenty of activities, bounce houses, family fun, and giveaways for dads. Local resources such as health and fitness plans and speakers from around the community will be present. We welcome you, family, and friends to come out and take part in celebrating true American history," wrote Glenn in an email.

Entertainment will be provided by Bloomington Hip Hop artist V8 Vast Change and music will be provided by DJ Aaron Uncanny. Book signing will be by authors Andrew Snorton whose latest work is “The Collab” and Anthony Elion who wrote “Inside The Mind Of AL'E The Poet.”

The committee for the Hunt For Foundation, who organized the event, said the day is important for many reasons.

“Today, Juneteenth is celebrated as a day to name our history, to remember those who suffered under chattel slavery, to honor those who fought for collective freedom and to continue to commit to the end of racism and white supremacy. It is a day to hold in tension the progress that has been made along with the grave inequities that still exist in our society,” as posted in the Juneteenth Facebook page.

Juneteenth, now recognized as a federal holiday, is the oldest known celebration commemorating the emancipation of slavery, particularly in Texas, and more generally throughout the former Confederate States.

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While the Emancipation Proclamation was officially announced on January 1, 1863, it wasn’t until June 19, 1865 that Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas, to deliver the news that the Civil War had ended, and that slaves were free.

Even though it is a free event continued donations can be made payable to: The Hunt For Foundation, P.O. Box 171,Lincoln, Illinois 62656. They also accept CashApp $huntforfoundation.

Lincoln will host a Juneteenth celebration on Sunday, June 19.
Lincoln will host a Juneteenth celebration on Sunday, June 19.

This article originally appeared on Lincoln Courier: Lincoln's Juneteenth plans celebrates American history