The Northeast Community Coalition is partnering with the Town of Wake Forest to host Wake Forest’s 2023 Juneteenth Celebration on Friday and Saturday, June 16 and 17.
Free and open to the public, the two-day event will officially get underway with a “Community Gathering” Friday, June 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Taylor Street Park at 416 N. Taylor Street. Offering food, fun, and fellowship, the occasion will allow attendees to interact with one another and experience the Taylor Street Park Sprayground.
From there, attendees can proceed to the not-yet-open Wake Forest Food Hall at 303 East Roosevelt Avenue to purchase dinner from various food trucks that will be onsite, with fish and shrimp, brisket, pulled pork and ribs, mac and cheese and potato salad available. Although the Food Hall will probably not open until late this fall, the owner will provide tables and chairs for the Juneteenth celebrators.
The festivities resume Saturday, June 17, with a “Freedom Walk” that begins and ends at The Dubois Center at 518 North Franklin Street. Anyone wishing to participate is encouraged to assemble at 11 a.m. The Freedom Walk is scheduled to end at noon.
Following the Freedom Walk, the family-friendly celebration will continue at The Dubois Center until 3:30 p.m. with a variety of free food, music, and giveaways, plus a local horse demonstration. The Ailey Young House at 320 North White Street will also be open to visitors.
Eighteen local community groups will be there in tents with information: Northeast Community Coalition, Kaleidoscope Project – NECC Resident Team, Wendell Wake County Branch of the NAACP, You Can Vote, Town of Wake Forest Human Relatioms Council, Wake County Northern Regional Center, Everytown for Gun Safety, Wake Forest Historical Preservation Commission, Wake Forest Historical Museum, NC State University Department of History, Wake Forest Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, Wake Forest Rotary Club, Firebox Theatre Company, Wake Preparatory Academy, Rebuilding Together of the Triangle, Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry, Wake Forest Community Table and St. John’s Episcopal Church.
And there will be seven youth vendors with their wares: Deanna Hamilton with Sweet & Savoree Sisters, Petra Sargent with Drew’s Creations, Ashley Murphy with MBellaished Creations, Ashia Murphy with WyldeArtTho, Christina Nicole Alderman with Sugar Bites, Jaylene Coston with Chu, and Kelli Johnson with Ethel’s Daughter’s Jewelry.
The Juneteenth festivities will conclude with “An Evening with Eugene Brown” from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre at 405 South Brooks Street. Brown, a motivational speaker and founder of the Big Chair Chess Club, will deliver a motivational speech and play chess with attendees.
Brown’s journey is depicted in the movie “Life of a King.” The film shares the true story of Brown who founded a chess club in the inner city of Washington, DC, as a way to keep teenagers off the streets and teach the philosophical significance of the game of chess. In the movie, the role of Eugene Brown is portrayed by actor Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. The occasion celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. For more information about Wake Forest’s 2023 Juneteenth Celebration, visit https://bit.ly/WFJuneteenth or email Tilda Caudle at wwtmm53@gmail.com.
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July 26, 2024
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