June 19, 2022- While families spent this Sunday honoring father figures, they also celebrated the anniversary of the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans, by attending the Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater’s 2nd annual Juneteenth celebration.
Juneteenth was made a federal holiday in the United States in 2021, but has been celebrated since 1866. It commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
To learn more about Juneteenth, click Here.
Festivities kicked off at the large pavilion in Nelson Park, as a community lunch was served by Vinnie’s Barbee-Q.
Attendees then made their way to the Devon Stage, where live music presentations, poetry, dance, and more were performed.
Throughout the venue, community members could stop by vendors selling clothing, purses, art work, jewelry, and more.
Two food trucks were also on location. Attendees took a chance to cool off, by enjoying shaved ice from The Snowball Effect. For those who missed out on the community lunch in Nelson Park, they had the chance to order some barbecue from LaVell’s Kitchen.
The Devon has made an effort to be more inclusive, and create events that represent all of Macon County, by being culturally diverse. Adding Juneteenth to the list of events, is a prime example.
“The Devon is here for our entire community, so it is important to us to try to offer a variety of events and entertainment that can represent as much of our community as possible,” Mike Wilcott, general manager at the Devon said.
Jeanelle Keck, who serves on the Devon’s Juneteenth committee, has always enjoyed celebrating Juneteenth and is hopeful that same joy was felt by attendees today.
“I love serving my community, and Juneteenth has always been close to my heart,” Keck said. “I remember going to the park with my grandma to celebrate as a little girl. And I wanted to be a part of bringing that same joy to the community. I hope the community felt Black joy. Black freedom. Black expression. Black love. I hope they felt the joy and the tension of the occasion.”
If you are interested in attending the upcoming events at the Devon, visit their website.
The full photo gallery from the Juneteenth event can be found on the Nowdecatur Facebook page.
