JUNETEENTH
Festival brings Wakanda-themed parade to Five Points
Denver’s annual Juneteenth Music Festival, which traditionally celebrates the end of slavery in Texas (technically on June 19), returns to the Five Points neighborhood on Saturday, June 16 with plenty of momentum.
This year’s parade along 26th Street, which starts at 11 a.m. in the Manual High School Parking lot (26th and Gilpin Streets), will feature a Wakanda theme — in reference to the fictional, technologically advanced African nation from Marvel’s smashhit “Black Panther.” That should mean plenty of Afro-futurism amid the otherwise colorful displays of African diaspora-fashion. Organizers are also encouraging marchers, who can begin staging at 9 a.m., to bring signs reading #DREAMBIG (this year’s theme).
The main event, which is free and open to the public, features live music, food, drink and local vendors along Five Points’ Welton Street, the
historic core of Denver AfricanAmerican culture.
“This year’s festival features nearly 150 vendors and the parade has nearly 70 different groups participating,” said festival organizer Norman Harris III. “Last year about 10,000 people came and we expect that number to grow this year.”
Programming kicks off at 1 p.m. at 27th and Welton Streets with the second year of the #DREAMBIG Awards Ceremo- ny, followed by the Mighty Nice Band (2:15 p.m.), the Wil Aston Band (3:30 p.m.), Clothing Chaos Five Points Legend Fashion Exhibit (4:15 p.m.), Ramond (5 p.m.), DJ MU$A (6:45 p.m.) and a headlining set by New York rapper and Def Jam veteran Jadakiss (7:15 p.m.), with DJ sets sprinkled throughout.
As an added bonus, the longshuttered Rossonian Hotel will be open from 2-5 p.m. with a local art gallery, which will give curious attendees one of their last chances to see it before a planned, multimillion-dollar renovation.
“Our headliner, Jadakiss, and opening the main floor of the Rossonian for an art exhibition are the two pieces of programming that I am most excited about this year,” Harris said. “Some people are going to connect their first of many great experiences in the Rossonian with Juneteenth Music Festival and I think that is just amazing.”
As noted, all events are all-ages, free and open the public. Find more information at juneteenthmusicfestival.com.