Hickory celebrates Juneteenth with festival

The Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Department invites the community to celebrate Juneteenth at the second annual Juneteenth Festival on Saturday, June 8, from 5:30-9 p.m. at Samuel William Davis, Sr. Multipurpose Field.

Hosted by Dr. Ginny Wright, the Juneteenth Festival will feature live music by Baby Black Band, kid-friendly activities, dance performances, food trucks, vendors, resources, and more. The event is sponsored by the United Arts Council of Catawba County and The Fellowship 1.3.

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops' arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday in the United States.

The Juneteenth Festival is part of Catawba County’s community-wide recognition and celebration of Juneteenth. From May 16 through June 19, Catawba County agencies and organizations will commemorate Juneteenth across the county through a variety of programs and events. To see the full listing of Catawba County Juneteenth events, visit bit.ly/catawbajuneteenth.

Samuel William Davis, Sr. Multipurpose Field (730 Third Street SW) sits on the corner of Seventh Avenue SW and Third Street SW in Hickory, across from Brown Penn Recreation Center.

For more information about Hickory’s Juneteenth Festival, contact Todder Clark at 828-324-8007 or nclark@hickorync.gov.