Long Beach Hosts Largest Juneteenth Celebration in City’s History
On Saturday, June 19th, Long Beach will host its largest Juneteenth event ever. The Long Beach Juneteenth Celebration will take place on Historic Pine Avenue in Downtown Long Beach, between 4th and 5th Streets, from 11AM – 4PM. The city of Long Beach officially designated Juneteenth a “Day of Celebration,” and they will advocate for it to become a state and federal holiday through their City Council legislative affairs committees.
“We are excited to celebrate the best of Black culture with our people and allies,” said event organizer Carl Kemp. “I chose to do this event in response to a call from God, and it has been blessed with volunteers, supporters and sponsors who also believe in the vision of celebrating Black freedom, culture, achievement and unity.”
This free event will feature an array of performances from the main stage, including R&B superstar Eric Benét, MAJOR., the Antioch Mass Choir, African drum and dance, jazz poetry and more! There will also be vendors and fun activities for the entire family.
“The Long Beach Juneteenth celebration allows our community to reflect on progress we’ve made, while recognizing with clear eyes how far we have to go. Black people worldwide still suffer under the oppression of systemic racism and injustice,” said Cameron Onumah, Amazon Policy Manager. Amazon is the Presenting Sponsor and made a major contribution toward the event. “We have a lot of work to do as a society, and, as a company, we want to listen, engage and take action, together.”
“I am overjoyed and elated to sponsor the Long Beach Juneteenth Celebration,” said Wayne Chaney Jr., Lead Pastor of Antioch Church of Long Beach, which is just steps away from the event. “I know Carl’s personal journey and commitment to making this vision from God a reality, and I believe with all my heart that this is the start of something big for our city for years to come.”
“The DLBA is proud to sponsor this important celebration to honor Black history and culture. We remain committed to recognizing and supporting our Black community not only through Juneteenth, but throughout the year. This is an important part of building cultural and social awareness while embracing the broader conversation of diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Kraig Kojian, President and CEO, Downtown Long Beach Alliance. “We look forward to everyone coming together for an afternoon of uplifting celebration in our Downtown to support the celebration and our community.”
“We are honored to be one of the inaugural sponsors of this year’s Long Beach Juneteenth celebration. Juneteenth is an important part of history that should be recognized and celebrated in the community, and it’s exciting to see the entire city come together for such an important cause,” said Tamika Lang, Boeing Global Engagement Senior Manager.
Please visit the official website for complete event details.
