On Monday, Northcott Neighborhood House will host Milwaukee’s 52nd annual Juneteenth celebration, a day of remembrance and community complimented by a lineup full of fun and excitement.
Juneteenth, celebrated every June 19, commemorates the history and abolition of slavery in the United States. The holiday specifically commemorates the day in June 1865 when Union soldiers delivered news of the Emancipation Proclamation to the last slaves in Galveston, Texas. Wisconsin has a rich history of celebrating Juneteenth, notably being one of the first states in the North to commence celebrations with its first Juneteenth Celebration in Milwaukee in 1971 and maintaining the tradition for over half a century.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
This year will be no different with the 52nd rendition of the celebration themed “I Am Juneteenth.” The upcoming celebrations will once again flood the streets with the excitement of booming music, aromatic foods and countless activities.
“I’m most excited to see the people. To see the diversity of participants attending the festival.” says Tony Kearey, executive director of Northcott Neighborhood House. Northcott has been a vital leader in organizing the festival since its initial celebrations in the 70s.
There’s something for everyone at Juneteenth this year with over 350 vendors to choose from, serving up anything from novelty goods to classic cuisines. An extensive selection of activities, snacks, entertainment and more will be available, some of which will even be curated for specific group zones on the celebration’s grounds.
The event’s Kid Zone, which will be located at Martin Luther King Elementary Playground, will feature carnival games, free rides, prizes and snacks for kids 12 & under. Additionally, there will be pony rides and more animals from the Beluah Petting Farm, and tunes will be in the hands of DJ L Boogie!
Older kids can expect plenty of activities over at the Teen Zone, located at Clinton Rose Park’s south end. Entertainment will include a hula hoop and double dutch contest, dunk contest, three-point shooting contest and three-on-three basketball with and against local officers.
The park’s north end will be host to the Veteran’s Zone, complete with veteran artifacts and memorabilia, space for resting and access to local community and veteran resources.
Finally, seniors can find a stop by the Senior Zone in the MLK Drive Walgreens parking lot. There will be bingo, entertainment, resources like signups for future senior-specific events and oldies music from DJ Sandra Silk.
As always, the celebrations will have an exciting kick off with the Jubilee Parade, complete with a stunning display of floats, marching bands, dance groups and more. The parade will celebrate the Juneteenth Pageant Court, which was introduced to the community last weekend at Northcott’s Freedom Ball. The Freedom Ball is an annual event that kicks off the upcoming celebrations by centering voices in the community, recognizing local contributions and achievements and honoring local youth.
This years Jubilee Parade will commence at 9 a.m. and run until 11 a.m., beginning at 14th & Atkinson and ending on Martin Luther King Dr and Locust. The entirety of the parade with its 100+ participants, as well as some of the opening ceremonies, will be broadcasted live by TMJ4.
“The one thing that’s important for us, for everyone, every single person – Milwaukeeans, Americans, period – [is that] Juneteenth is an American holiday. Everyone is welcome at Juneteenth.” says Kearey. “The more diversity at Juneteenth, the better. Northcott has been doing it for 52 years and we hope to continue to do it for another 52.”
