By T. Scott Boatright
GRAMBLING — Grambling’s annual Juneteenth festivities kicked off Saturday morning at City Hall with Opening Ceremonies before the annual Juneteenth Gala was later that night inside the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
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.
The celebration continued on Sunday with a poetry contest at Grambling City Hall and the annual Juneteenth Gospel Concert at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
This year’s Juneteenth Pageant is set to start at 6 p.m. Friday at the Floyd L. Sandal Theatre inside the Conrad Hutchinson Performing Arts Center on the GSU campus.
Then on Saturday, the festivities kick into high gear, beginning with a Scholarship Walk at 7 p.m. starting at Grambling City Hall followed by the annual Fishing Tournament starting at 8 a.m. at Grambling Memorial Park.
Fishers 18 years old and older will require a fishing license, which can be acquired at the following link: LDWF.
Grambling’s annual Car Show will follow at 10 a.m. that morning in The Village.
Then on June 16, a Line Dance will begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
A Juneteenth Bible Study will be held at 5:30 p.m. June 18 at Christ Temple Baptist leading into June 19 — Juneteenth itself.
That day begins with a Health Fair at 10:30 a.m. at Grambling City Hall. The annual Juneteenth Parade will run starting at 10 a.m. that day followed by the annual Bake-Off at 11 a.m. at Lewis Temple.
More information about Grambling’s Juneteenth Celebration can be found online at the following link: Schedule of Events – Grambling Juneteenth Heritage Festival.
