By T. Scott Boatright
The city of Grambling is set for its biggest, and longest, Juneteenth celebration.
It all begins on Saturday as opening ceremonies are held at Grambling City Hall/Community Center, kicking off 12 days of festivities.
Juneteenth commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth (short for “June 19th”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed.
Grambling’s 2024 Juneteenth celebration, themed “Black Resilience: From Past to Present,” begins on Saturday with the opening ceremony before this year’s Miss Juneteenth Pageant is held from 6-8 p.m. at T.H. Harris Auditorium on the Grambling State University campus.
At 2:30 p.m. Sunday, festivities continue with a Poetry Contest at Grambling City Hall followed by a 5:30 p.m. Gospel Concert at Mt. Zion Baptist church.
Monday’s event will be a Financial Literacy Seminar at 10 a.m. at City Hall while two events are set for Tuesday — the annual Juneteenth Bake-Off at 10 a.m. at Grambling City Hall followed by a “Let’s Talk Grambling” session at 6 p.m. at City Hall that will focus on plans to rejuvenate Grambling’s Main Street, also known as “The Village.”
A citywide Bible Study session will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Christ Temple Baptist Church while a Juneteenth Health Fair is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall.
Grambling’s second annual Juneteenth Gala is set for 7 p.m. June 14. The semi-formal event will be held in the foyer of GSU’s Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center with ticket prices set at $40 each.
June 15 will be the biggest day of Grambling’s Juneteenth celebration starting with a Heritage Wellness Walk at 8 a.m. followed by the annual Juneteenth Parade beginning at 10 a.m.
The rest of that day will include a Young Entrepreneur Fair at 10 a.m. with vendors crowding Main Street with the annual Kidzone and Car Show as well as the returning of a stage for musical and other performances, something that will return for the first time since the COVID pandemic.
After taking Sunday, June 16 as a day of rest, a citywide Exercise Event is slated for 7 p.m. on June 17 at Grambling City Park.
Starting at 6 p.m. June 18 will be a Mimosas and Marigolds event at the Grambling City Garden starting at 6 p.m.
Then on Juneteenth itself —- June 19 — a fishing tournament will be held all day at Grambling City Park followed by a Fish Fry at 5:30 p.m.
Anglers older than 17 will be required to have a Louisiana Fishing License for that event.
Grambling 2024 Juneteenth T-shirts will be available at all events for $20 each.
