Sat 6/15

The fourth annual Juneteenth Freedom Festival downtown on Mall C attracted a huge crowd of all ages on a beautiful sunny summer afternoon. It was heavy on families, and there was plenty for kids to do with hula hoops, bubble blowing supplies, a tug-of-war rope, foam building blocks, bumper cars, a roller rink, balls of all sizes, hands-on art making led by local artists, chess boards and a net game that appeared to be a weird cross between pickleball, badminton and tennis.

There was plenty of entertainment for adults too, with local R&B-inflected rockers Apostle Jones presenting some special guests, the Djapo Cultural Arts dancers and drummers offering their usual high-energy show, passionate Heights poet laureate Siaara Freeman in an outfit so colorful (see below) kids were asking for photos with her, impressive dance performances from the Tri-C dance department, New Orleans-style music from Da Land Brass Band, and a hilarious, spot-in George Clinton/Funkadelic tribute from the Karamu performers. Line dancing? You bet!

And yes, there was food — lots of it, its aroma wafting over downtown. That was likely the reason so many people in tongue t-shirts, clearly on their way to the Rolling Stones show across the street in the Lakefront Stadium later that evening drifted in to enjoy some free, pre-concert festivities — and food.

View the PHOTOSTREAM here.

Cleveland, OH 44199

PHOTOSTREAM: Juneteenth Freedom Fest @ Mall C by Anastasia Pantsios

Sat 6/15

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