YWCA MV is proud to support the Mid Utica Neighborhood Preservation Corp. at this year’s Juneteenth celebration and African American Heritage Day.
Learn more about the event here.
This release is published on behalf of MUNPC.
Utica’s Juneteenth Celebration to Take Place at Chancellor Park
The Mid Utica Neighborhood Preservation Corp. (MUNPC) is once again holding Juneteenth/African American Heritage Day.
The annual event will take place on Saturday, June 19, 2021 from 12:00 – 8:00pm at Chancellor Park (Elizabeth/Kent/Bleecker/Academy Streets) in Utica.
The event is for all ages and celebrates heritage, culture and pride while acknowledging the national day of Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth” or called by some “African American Independence Day”) – where in 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure that all enslaved people knew they were free. It marked a full two and half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Utica’s Juneteenth Celebration will feature live music, food, health and education vendors, kids activities, games, history, spoken word, an art project featuring educators from Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. Most importantly, it is a chance for the community to join in fellowship for one of the first public in-person events as pandemic guidelines are lifting.
Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and all individuals who are not vaccinated are to wear a mask.
Facilitator Robbie Dancy shares, “This event is needed more than ever this year. After over a year of distancing, we are ready to come together to socialize with our friends, family and neighbors and what better way to do so than to celebrate Juneteenth together.”
Juneteenth is working collaboratively with the Utica/Oneida County Branch of the NAACP and other local organizations on Saturday’s event and additional events to provide a weekend-long celebration in the area:
The Oneida County Freedom Trail Commission will hold a Juneteenth Underground Railroad and Abolition Walking Tour on Friday, June 18th from 6:00-7:00pm, starting in the Adirondack Bank Parking lot at 120 Bleecker Street. The event is free, but space is limited to 25 people. Signs up can be done on Eventbrite.
On Sunday, June 20, Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute will be holding a Juneteenth Weekend Celebration to launch their newest exhibition Emma Amos: Color Odyssey and Call & Response: Collection African American Art. Live music, craft kits for kids will take place from 2:00-4:00pm.
Utica Juneteenth t-shirts designed by local artist Dave Mentus will be available (while supplies last) at the MWPAI event. The shirts made possibly by generous support from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.
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