6-15-2023 11:42am

Alamogordo Hosting Largest Ever Juneteenth Festival Saturday June 17th 2 Pm till Sundown

Chris Edwards Editor

Alamogordo’s largest ever Juneteenth celebration coordinated by the local chapter of the NAACP and multiple community partnerships is scheduled this Saturday, June 17th, 2023, from 2 pm to sundown at Washington Park. Come celebrate a day of liberation, a true gem of joy in American history! Alamogordo's second annual Juneteenth Celebration will observe this 158-year-old holiday with dance, music, educational talks, information booths, interactive games for kids AND adults, your favorite Alamogordo food trucks, and $1000 in raffle prizes!

This event is the largest ever for Alamogordo as an all-day event with 45 sponsors, multiple food vendors, live music, dancing, history, drummers, a proclamation by the mayor of Alamogordo, a Center of Commerce Ribbon Cutting, KRAZY KALKradio.org, entertainment by DJ Majik 1 of New Orleans live streaming on YouTube around the world and locally on KALHradio.org, 5:15 pm to 8:00 pm, and then a sunset outdoor screening of the movie, Glory.

The agenda begins promptly at 2 pm with opening remarks by Everrette Brown, Prayer by Paster Willard Avery, and a city of Alamogordo proclamation by Mayor Susan Payne. At 2:10 pm the Center of Commerce will recognize Juneteenth with a ribbon cutting ceremony, at 2:15 pm the “Black National Anthem” written by James Weldon Johnson in 1900 and first performed in Jacksonville Florida to celebrate the birthday of Abraham Lincoln will be performed and sung in unison with the audience. A Juneteenth Question and Answer will follow at 2:20 pm. Local community radio KRAZY KALHradio.org will live stream the first hour of Juneteenth live and on location from 2 pm to 3 pm and then return to live stream the dance part from 5:15 pm to 8 pm.

The events continue at 2:30 with Karuna and the New World Drummers, at 3:40 an NAACP history lecture by Renee Stanton, at 4:05 poet Keith Gerber, 4:30 Kaia’s Dance Studio, 5:00 pm Sarah Addison, Juba the Griot, 5:25 Jerry Petty presents the Buffalo Soldier, at 5:45 RAD Studio’s Dance, at 6 pm to 8 pm DJ Majik 1 Outdoor dance party and live stream on YouTube and finally a wonderful sunset outdoor screening of the movie, Glory.

There will be a variety of food vendors on location with a list not inclusive of everyone but includes Brenda’s Sweet Ideas, Malumpia, Carolina BBQ, Sal Limon Chili, Swamp Donkey, Smooth Q, Pancake Pandemonium and more!

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance. To learn more about Juneteenth visit History of Juneteenth at JUNETEENTH.com

To learn more about this very special Alamogordo event tune in to KALHRadio.org for the live stream during various parts of the event at https://station.voscast.com/5b01bba90dce3

Come join this all day very special event and to learn more locally visit: https://www.alamogordojuneteenth.com/