City of Antioch to hold third annual taxpayer funded Juneteenth event
In spite of two others being held in Antioch by non-profit organizations
Will include live music, rides, carnival games, food booths and activities
By Allen D. Payton
Confused by having three events in Antioch celebrating Juneteenth, again this year? According to the information from the City of Antioch’s Recreation Department, “This year marks the third annual city sponsored Juneteenth Celebration, where we come together as a city to honor freedom, culture, and community. Join us for a day of reflection that showcases the richness of African American heritage as we embrace the vibrancy and resiliency of Black culture. This event features live performances, music, food, activities for kids and adults, and so much more!”
The City’s event will be held on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16 from 12:00-5:00 PM at Williamson Ranch Park at the Corner of Lone Tree Way and Hillcrest Avenue.
Two Other Juneteenth Celebrations in Antioch, Again This Year
Yet, there are two other events being held in Antioch again, this year celebrating the final end of slavery in America, both by non-profit organizations and one is completely free to the public. The first celebration will be held this Saturday, June 15th at Grace Bible Fellowship Church of Antioch, organized by their affiliated non-profit organization, Grace Arms of Antioch, for a third year in a row.
The other non-profit organized event in Antioch, and this year’s third, will be held on the actual date of the national holiday, Wednesday, June 19th (thus the name) at Paradise Skate on the grounds of the Contra Costa Event Park (fairgrounds). It is organized by Claryssa Wilson, for a fifth year in a row (although the event in 2022 was held in Brentwood) and her 4 Ever Me Foundation.
The reason the event was held in Brentwood that year was due to a control issue by the mayor, Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker, then-Interim City Manager Con Johnson and Wilson and her mother, Velma, who was supporting the mayor’s recall at the time and her husband, Claryssa’s father, was the titular chairman of the recall committee. The three city officials took the event away from the Wilsons just two months before it was to be held, by withdrawing the permit to hold it at the City’s Waldie Plaza in downtown Rivertown. (See related article)
The Celebrate Antioch Foundation stepped up to help Claryssa by providing the needed liability insurance for the event.
That same year, Grace Arms worked with the City and they held joint events on Friday night and Saturday. But last year they held separate events on separate days.
The first two hours of the City’s event is also being held the same day as, and will overlap the last two hours of, the annual Rivertown Father’s Day Car Show in Antioch’s historic downtown organized by the Celebrate Antioch Foundation, as did last year’s City sponsored Juneteenth celebration.
“What is Juneteenth?
The City’s promotional information also includes a brief history of the holiday and event, as does Grace Arms’.
“Short for June Nineteenth, Juneteenth is a holiday celebrating the 1865 emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States– marking the day when federal troops arrived in Galvenston, Texas to take control of the state and ensure the freedom of all remaining enslaved people. Texas became the first U.S. state to celebrate Juneteenth in 1979. Officially becoming a U.S. federal holiday in June of 2021, the City of Antioch is proud to present our third annual Juneteenth Celebration taking place on Sunday, June 16, 2024.”
Questions for Council and Staff
All five council members, Acting City Manager Kwame Reed and Acting Assistant City Manager and Parks & Recreation Director Brad Helfenberger were asked if the City is using taxpayer funds to pay for this year’s Juneteenth celebration. If so, why the City is hosting and paying for one when there are two organizations each holding a Juneteenth event in Antioch. They were also asked how much is being spent on this year’s event if an organization was hired to organize the event or if is being handled by city staff.
Finally, they were asked, why the City didn’t just promote either the event organized by Grace Arms on June 15th and/or the event on June 19th organized by Claryssa Wilson and her 4Ever Me Foundation which would save taxpayer money.
District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock was the only councilmember to respond writing, “we set some funds aside for events, as we do for 4th of July.”
Helfenberger offered more details. He responded, “I can confirm that, as in 2022 and 2023, this year’s event is being funded from the general fund and will cost approximately $42,000.
The event is being organized by our dedicated City staff, without the use of an outside firm.
When the event budget was established in 2022, we placed a strong emphasis on creating community-wide special events that hold cultural significance. Our goal is to foster a sense of belonging within our community and ensure that our events reflect the diversity of our residents. While we deeply appreciate the efforts of various community groups in organizing events, we believe it is important for the City to host its own events with these objectives in mind.”
Juneteenth: A Free Celebration Details
The City of Antioch’s Juneteenth: A Freedom Celebration will include live musical performances by Ariel Marin Band from 12:30-1:30 pm, Nzuri Soul from 2:00-3:00 pm and The Curtis Family C-Notes from 3:30-5:00 pm.
In addition, a variety of activities are planned, including Ballistic Swing Ride, Carnival Games, a Dominoes Tournament, Father’s Day Card Creation Station, Juneteenth Crafts, Photobooth, Rock Climbing Wall and a Super Fun 90’ Slide plus, food vendor booths. To learn more about the event visit www.antiochca.gov/juneteenth/.
the attachments to this post:
Antioch Juneteenth 2024 map
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Juneteenth City of Antioch 06-16-24
