Donaldsonville is set to celebrate its 27th annual Juneteenth Music Festival from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the city’s Louisiana Square.
Organizers encourage people to “come out, bring your family, chairs, umbrella and listen to the sounds of South Louisiana musicians, learn about the Juneteenth history, enjoy delicious cuisine from our local food vendors, shop, stop by our health fair focused on African-Health and get vaccinated.”
Donaldsonville residents can also sign up for the American Red Cross smoke detector installation program and also drive thru the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank nonperishable food distribution.
Donaldsonville and the festival committee have held the Juneteenth Festival tradition locally since its inception in 1996. Started by former Donaldsonville Mayor the late Bernard “BJ” Francis Sr. and his late wife, Janet Ganes Francis, it was continued through the efforts of the Kathe Hambrick and the River Road African American Museum and other volunteers in the community.
From 2011 to 2022, Tamiko Francis Garrison, daughter of the late Bernard and Janet Francis; Allison Hudson; Mayor Leroy Sullivan and Donaldsonville assumed the planning of the festival.
In 2023, the city announced the addition of new committee members: Tamiko Stroud, co-chair of vendors, granddaughter of the Francis’); Skye Taylor, co-chair of publicity; Wayne Hamilton, co-chair of volunteers; and Keisha Roberson, co-chair of the health fair.
Juneteenth commemorates the day when slaves in the last geographic area in America where slavery existed learned of their freedom. This took place on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when Union Gen. Gordon Granger read General Order No. 3, announcing that “all slaves are free” by proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by Lincoln on Sept. 22, 1862, and issued on Jan. 1, 1863. It took more than two and a half years for the news to travel to southwest Texas.
“Juneteenth is a landmark in history, a celebration of freedom and the end of enslavement in America,” said the Rev. Ronald V. Myers Sr., founder and chair of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation and the National Juneteenth Jazz Artist.
The Donaldsonville Juneteenth lineup includes:
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Drive-thru only food distribution in conjunction with BASF, in front of the Ascension Parish Courthouse in Donaldsonville
- 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Welcome, prayer and history presentation
- 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Health Fair focused on African American Health
- Noon to 4 p.m.: Vaccinations
- 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Donaldsonville residents’ American Red Cross and Ascension Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Smoke Detector installation sign-up.
The musical lineup:
- 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Wanda August, KKAY’s Angel of Faith Gospel Hour
- 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.: River Road African American Museum Society’s African dance and drum lessons
- 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Red Tape Musiq
- 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: The Michael Foster Project
- 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Royal Essence Show Band.
For more information, visit Facebook @donaldsonvillejuneteenth or Instagram @donaldsonville_juneteenth.
