The Juneteenth Celebration Committee has finalized plans for the 29th celebration to be held in the City of Dunkirk. Celebration days for this year will be Saturday and Sunday at Memorial Park, Lake Shore Drive West, Dunkirk. The theme for Juneteenth 2025 is “We Won’t Go Back … Unity = Strength.”

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This was 2 ½ years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official Jan. 1, 1863.

The event will begin Saturday with Opening Ceremonies at noon entitled “Lest We Forget.”

The committee has once again planned many activities for family enjoyment: Zumba by Jayme, Family Martial Arts Center, face painting, and Sun-Dance-Kids Farm Petting Zoo.

The Children’s Tent will also be available for children of all ages that will include board games, sand art, crafts, soccer dart game, skee ball, and more.

The Juneteenth basket raffle, Paint and Sip, and ice cream eating contest are all making another appearance this year.

The Health, Education and Labor Fair will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday that will include, among others, the following organizations: STEL, City of Dunkirk Housing Authority, League of Women Voters, Upward Bound Program, Chautauqua County Office for the Aging Services, NY Connects, New York State Troopers, United Way of Chautauqua County, New York State Department of Civil Service, I.D.E.A. Coalition, Jamestown Community College, State University of New York at Fredonia, Chautauqua County Democratic Committee, League of Women Voters, YWCA, Health Care Advocacy Project, Prevention Works, Inc., Girl Scouts of Western New York, Child Advocacy Program, Boys & Girls Club, American Red Cross, and more.

The community is invited to come out and support the numerous vendors that will be present with jewelry, food, crafts, purses, food, Tupperware, oils, cookies, croc charms, Bohemian and African clothing, lip gloss, lip balms, salsa, African art, and much more.

Making its third appearance this year will be a Spades Tourney. Spades is a card game invented in the United States in the 1930s and derived from Bid Whist. The winning team will win bragging rights, $100 and two dinners from the Rib Shack.

Continuing with Juneteenth’s “See Me” literacy drive which began during COVID, the Dunkirk Teachers Association will sponsor a book give-a-way this year. Teachers will also be present to read books to children.

Juneteenth Paint and Sip and the Ice Cream eating contest will also be a part of the celebration.

Saturday’s entertainment will include a local band “Hoo Man” and end with the band Familiar Spirit from Erie, Pennsylvania, who will be entertaining the crowd with their latest music and some Motown standards.

Sunday will include “Church in the Park” with special guest speaker, Minister Tyneatta Couser, from Apostolic House of Prayer #2. Devotional services will be led by Deacon Curtis William and Deacon Ryan Waller from Friendship Baptist Church. The theme for Sunday’s service is “God’s Love.”

All churches, denominations, and members of the community are invited to attend.

Sunday will also include a Juneteenth Re-enactment, a performance by Sadiyyah El-Amin-Turner (Dance in Motion) and Samiyyah (Poetry in Motion).

Sunday will end with a Gospel Fest.

All are invited and welcomed to attend this freedom celebration.

For more information, call 716-363-1102.

SATURDAY EVENTS

Noon

Opening Ceremonies ~ A Tribute to Loved Ones

12:30 p.m.

Juneteenth Basket Raffle ~ ZUMBA by Jayme

Games of Chance ~ Children’s Tent

Party Bouncers ~ Vendors

Dunkirk Teachers’ Association

1 p.m.

Family Martial Arts Center

2 p.m.

Sun-Dance-Kids Farm Petting Zoo

Health, Education and Labor Fair

3 p.m.

Ice Cream Eating Contest

4 p.m.

Spades Tourney

Hoo Man, Dunkirk, New York

5 p.m.

Juneteenth Paint and Sip

6 p.m..

Familiar Spirit, Erie, Pennsylvania

7:30 p.m.

Juneteenth Basket Raffle Drawing

CRAFTS, FOOD AND VENDORS

SUNDAY

Noon

Gospel DJ

Juneteenth Basket Raffle

Games of Chance ~ Children’s Tent

Party Bouncers ~ Vendors

1 p.m.

Church in the Park

Guest Speaker

Minister Tyneatta Couser

Apostolic House of Prayer

Dunkirk, New York

2 p.m.

Sadiyyah El-Amin-Turner Dance in Motion

Samiyyah Poetry in Motion

Face Painting by Sulymar

3 p.m.

Juneteenth Re-enactment

4 p.m.

Gospel Fest

5:30 p.m.

Juneteenth Basket Raffle Drawing

CRAFTS, FOOD AND VENDORS