Madison Heights Hosting Juneteenth Celebration June 15
Madison Heights, MI- The 2024 Madison Heights Juneteenth Celebration will be held from 12 p.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, June 15 at Madison Heights Civic Center Park.
The popular event, which attracts visitors from across the Metro Detroit Area, will include live music, a food truck rally and a tribute to Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.”
The Smoke Jones Heart &Soul Big Band with special guests jazz vocalist Audrey Northington, horn section leader Allen Dennard and DJ Jewels Baby, will headline the line-up of free concerts. Under the direction of Randal V. Wilson, this multi- genre show will honor the diverse contributions African-Americans have made to American music and culture. Award-winning actor and vocalist X. Alexander Durden will present a special tribute to Opal Lee, the 97-year-old retired Texas teacher known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” Ms. Lee’s decades-long advocacy was instrumental in bringing awareness to Juneteenth and to it becoming a federal holiday in 2021.
Other performers include steel pan soloist Quinton Robinson, Detroit funk band Groove Fellowship and popular cover band Kayfabe: The Ppls Band. The opening ceremony starts at 12:15 p.m.
Emmy Award-winning performance artist Kirei Turner of Flint will perform an original piece titled Freedom that she composed exclusively for the Celebration.
General Order No. 3, the 1865 proclamation that stated, in part, “all slaves are free,” will be read by retired United States Air Force veteran Darryl Smith of K.I. Sawyer, Michigan.
A food truck rally featuring African-American owned food trucks, including a vegan option for the first time this year, will offer everything from soul food and Caribbean to ice cream and elephant ears. Food trucks scheduled to participate include Big Bo’s Grill, Nita Signature Soul Food, We Juice, Mr. Creole, Steve’s World of Food, Chicken Headz, Eight Claws Crab Boil, So Icy Italian Ice, Royal Treats &; Eats, Vedged Out, Grillz on Wheelz, Greedy Rice and Motor City Sweet Treats.
A “Pop-Up” sale will feature more than 50 local, small business vendors. Local non-profits and community resources, including the Madison Heights Public Library and the City of Madison Heights’ Human Relations and Equity Commission (HREC), will have informational booths.
Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate to the Madison Heights Food Pantry, which will have a booth in the vendor area.
Free family/children’s attractions include a 25-ft. climbing tower (courtesy of Oakland County Parks), bounce houses, a petting zoo, pony rides and crafts.
An eight-station educational exhibit will feature informational displays ranging from life in Africa before enslavement and the Atlantic Slave Trade to the history of Juneteenth and the Civil Rights era.
Madison Heights Citizens United, the festival’s host, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit started in 2021 to provide a forum to discuss matters of race and promote racial reconciliation. “It’s been our mission to bring awareness of Juneteenth to Madison Heights and neighboring communities,” said MHCU Co-Founder Kevin Wright, a Madison Heights resident.
Juneteenth marks the day, June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, TX, and read General Order No. 3, announcing, “The people are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free…”
The event is paid for by donations and organized by volunteers. Sponsors include Henkel, Oakland County Board of Commissioners, Liberty Cannabis, PUFF Cannabis, Meijer, Consumers Energy, United Wholesale Mortgage, National Heritage Academies, State Representative Mike McFall, New Standard Cannabis, McDonald’s of Michigan, Target and Molina Health Care. This is the fourth annual Juneteenth Celebration in the City of Madison Heights.
The city’s first Celebration was held on June 19, 2021, just two days after Juneteenth became a federal holiday. Information about the event can be found at www.madisonheightsjuneteenth.com.
