Many Juneteenth events to choose from in Cobb County

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In an obviously old photo a line of Black men and women in formal dress posing for photo .Photo of an early Juneteenth celebration in Texas --- Mrs. Charles Stephenson (Grace Murray), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Posted By: Larry Felton Johnson May 24, 2023

Cobb County posted a list of Juneteenth events available around the county.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned that they were free. In the following decades, the holiday was unofficially expanded in Black communities across the country to mark a day where Black people celebrate the official end of chattel slavery.

President Joe Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday last year and Governor Brian Kemp made it a holiday for state employees. The Cobb County government followed suit.

Cobb County listed the following Juneteenth events on the county website. We list them here verbatim:

  • Pre-Juneteenth Festival
    Sunday, June 11, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.  at Jim R. Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta
    Enjoy shopping, Old skool/New skool car and bike show competitions, swag bags, food trucks, dancing, stilt walkers, games, stage performances from local artists, choirs and more.
     
  • Marietta – 20th Annual Cobb County NAACP Juneteenth Celebration
    • Evening Under the Stars in Marietta Square,
      Friday, June 16, 7 – 11 p.m.
      free – bring your lawn chairs and picnic baskets. come enjoy music and fun fellowship.
      Tables are available for purchase here.
    • Saturday, June 17, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Marietta Square – All-day event
    • Sunday, June 18 – Salute to our heroes – Happy Fathers Day, 2 – 6 p.m., Marietta Square
       
  • Austell – Austell Juneteenth Festival
    Saturday, June 17 – Legion Park at Sweetwater Creek, 5514 Austell Powder Springs Road, Free, Family-friendly
    • The parade starts at 11:15 a.m. and the festival goes from noon – 7 p.m.
    • Featuring live music, African drummers, stilt walkers, food vendors, storytellers, African dancers, face painting, arts & crafts, and more.
       
  • Juneteenth Powder Springs Community Celebration & Unity Walk
    Saturday, June 17,  2 – 8 p.m.
    Experience history, culture, entertainment, African dance, and puppetry, with a Unity Youth Hour, Unity Choir, Unity Message and Unity Walk. Guests can also enjoy a motorcycle show, a history tent and food.  Free.
     
  • Acworth – Concert on the Green: A Juneteenth Celebration
    Saturday, June 17, at 5 p.m. in Logan Farm Park.
    Dance the night away at this concert with @total_package_band_atlanta. Bring blankets and folding chairs and join this celebration of freedom and respect for all cultures.
     
  • Smyrna – Concert 
    Sunday, June 18, 3 p.m.
    Join the City of Smyrna for a Juneteenth Concert in the Smyrna Library Meeting Room with light refreshments served. Singer Dileesa Archer sings in this eclectic and exciting celebration of the Black American experience. 
     
  • Cobb African American Public Policy Forum
    Join Chairwoman Cupid for her annual African American Policy Forum, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday, June 19, at the Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center, 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta. This will be a thought-provoking day with engaging panels, inspiring speakers and a community dialogue that delves deep into the impact of public policy on the lives of Black people today. The goal is to foster discussion and explore potential policy initiatives to bring about real change and promote racial justice and equity.
    RSVP here: https://bit.ly/CobbPublicPolicyForum  

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