Springfield’s Juneteenth Celebration will return to its traditional form this weekend, one year after the event was limited by COVID-19 to a march to the state Capitol.
The festivities will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with a parade down Martin Luther King Jr. Drive toward Comer Cox Park, where the event originated in 1995. At the park, an opening ceremony will be held with state Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, as the keynote speaker. Aldermen Roy Williams Jr. (Ward 3) and Shawn Gregory (Ward 2) will also speak.
Afterward, the party will continue at the park from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with musical performances from Dexter O’Neal and the Funk Yaard and Kapital Sound. Prize raffles for children, food and rent and utility assistance will also be provided, along with games, Zumba classes, yoga and rap battles.
Sunday will feature a “Fitness in the Park” event starting at 9 a.m., followed by an outdoor religious revival with Larry Hemingway Sr. of the Springfield Urban League at 10 a.m. Performances by the Fantastic Jones Family and BAAAD BOYZ will follow in the afternoon.
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The return to Cox Park for the celebration comes as a sign of normalcy for the event, which is seeing an increase in interest following declarations by both state and federal governments of Juneteenth as a state holiday. Shymeka Kerr-Gregory, the director of Juneteenth Inc., said she was excited that people were just beginning to learn about the holiday and its impact on Black society in Springfield and beyond.
“I’m excited that people are starting to learn (about) the history of Juneteenth,” Kerr-Gregory said. “They know why we’re celebrating (and) how it’s been long overdue. Everything passing this week has helped to bring more people out.”
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Other events commemorating Juneteenth over the weekend will include a “History Comes Alive” talk at the Springfield and Central Illinois African American Museum. Kathryn Harris, a retired library administrator and historian, will speak at 1:30 p.m. Saturday about the history of the day and its impact on people across the nation.
Those who wish to participate can call the museum at (217) 391-6323.
