UPDATE — Due to the weather forecast, William & Mary is moving its Juneteenth celebration on June 16 to the Sadler Center, located at 200 Stadium Drive.
The event, slated for 3 to 6 p.m., will still include a program along with vendors, food and games. The program, which features a performance by Elegba Folklore Society, will now take place in the Chesapeake rooms of the Sadler Center while the rest of the offerings will be hosted in the Tidewater rooms.
The celebration is free and open to the university community along with the public. Parking will be available without a pass in the Sadler Center parking lot. For additional information, visit the W&M Juneteenth website.
WILLIAMSBURG — William & Mary is set to host its second in-person Juneteenth celebration on June 16, kicking off a weekend of related festivities in the Williamsburg area.
A program featuring poetry, music and a performance by the Elegba Folklore Society is scheduled for 3-6 p.m. at the site of Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved.
T-shirts will be available for purchase, along with goods and food from local vendors. Details are available on the W&M Juneteenth website.
The university said the celebration aligns with its value of belonging and its efforts around democracy in its Vision 2026 strategic plan.
“We are excited for the second Juneteenth Celebration and for W&M to partner with the Williamsburg Community Consortium for an action-packed weekend devoted to educational and cultural awareness, celebration and fellowship as we reflect on the significance and meaning of freedom,” said Chon Glover, chief diversity officer and co-chair of the Juneteenth Committee.
“We are so fortunate to be able to host at our Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved as once again we remember and honor the named and unknown named individuals who never fully experienced what it means to be free. I’m very excited that Juneteenth has been added to the list of new traditions involving Hearth.”
According to the university, several members of the W&M community are slated to participate in this year’s program, including students who will present a variety of readings. Oral Historian Andre Taylor will give a presentation about the food of Juneteenth, and Ghana Smith, W&M Financial Systems Specialist, will discuss “What is Juneteenth?”
The event is free and open to both the university community and the public. Participants are asked to bring folding chairs or blankets. The Hearth memorial is located off of Jamestown Road, across the street from the Undergraduate Admission office. Parking will be available without a pass in the Campus Center and Zable Stadium lots.
A number of additional Juneteenth events are planned to happen in the area throughout the weekend. Information is available on the Juneteenth Community Consortium website.
