Southern Colorado Juneteenth festival perseveres through thunderstorm delays; sun in the forecast for Sunday
Jun. 17—Juneteenth festivities continued Saturday throughout the America the Beautiful Park in downtown Colorado Springs, persevering despite severe weather warnings.
An optimistic spirit reigned over the late-morning hail and thunderstorms, as the two-hour delay came to an end shortly after 2 p.m. Smoke and smells from numerous food trucks filled the air, vendors rose from their hunkered-down tents to resume business, and patrons were seen scattered across the lawn, maneuvering fresh mud and puddles.
It's the city's third annual Juneteenth festival. Known as America's second Independence Day, the holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
Although Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863, it wouldn't be until 1865 that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution made emancipation a national policy, ending slavery throughout the U.S.
According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, "Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state, were free by executive decree."
That day became to be known as Juneteenth by the newly freed people in Texas. Although the holiday has been long celebrated throughout African American community, it wasn't until 2021 that President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress, establishing June 19, or Juneteenth, as a federal holiday.
"Three years ago, we didn't really have any backing from anybody, it was just us coming together and saying let's do something for the community," said Terryjosiah Sharpe, event coordinator for Saturday's event and CEO of Anthem Music Enterprises.
In the first year, the event saw more than 8,600 attendees. Gaining support from the city the year following, the 2022 celebration featured singer-songwriter Mario, attracting over 20,000 people, more than double the previous year.
"We realized it was something special, but more than us realizing, the city realized it," Sharpe said,
"I think the most beautiful moment was when all the music cut out on Mario's set and you had 5,000, 6,000 people singing a capella, 'you should let me love you.'
"That to me is synonymous with how the whole community came together to uplift Black voices, and it was literally Black voices being uplifted in that one moment."
Despite the wet start, festival organizers expected a performance Saturday from rap artist Fabulous to go on.
Colorado Springs community park and nonprofit Concrete Couch hosted a plethora of creative endeavors amid the sea of vendors, including a community mural and clay sculpting.
Nine-year-old Brandon Powell was seen forming the clay into what he dubbed a "wild spirit," and said the late-morning storms didn't bother him in the slightest.
"(It) the festival feels unique. It's amazing to celebrate with the African American community — I even got to make hail balls," Powell said.
Assisting Powell on his creative journey was Concrete Couch employee Nic Vargas, who said they are proud to be witnesses a "true expansion of community."
"We really wanted to come and provide an experience for the kids to be in a creative, welcoming space with their community. It's been incredible to see what they've been making, and seeing their artistic sides come out. It's been a great day."
With warm weather and sunny skies in the forecast, the last day of the Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival will kick off Sunday at noon.
"We have a dunk tank, with some of our favorite Black leaders getting dunked tomorrow. We have the Olympic City Sound, which is a collective of regional artists sharing our collective voice that happens here. We have Gospel in the Park; everybody loves gospel," Sharpe said.
Festivities will conclude with Tony Exum Jr.'s group Rhythm and Sound expected to bring a classic R&B experience the park around 6 p.m.
