Bay Area

Vallejo Juneteenth Event Moves to Waterfront Green

Organizers of the 33rd Annual Vallejo Juneteenth Festival and Parade announce they are relocating the event to the Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Green on Mare Island Way at Capitol Street. The Juneteenth celebration takes place Saturday, June 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Published

3 years ago

May 12, 2023

Oakland Post

Joyce Grant performs at the 2019 Juneteenth Festival in Vallejo. Photo courtesy of Angela Jones, Juneteenth Committee.

Organizers of the 33^rd Annual Vallejo Juneteenth Festival and Parade announce they are relocating the event to the Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Green on Mare Island Way at Capitol Street.

The Juneteenth celebration takes place Saturday, June 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Formerly the site of the celebration was across the street at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park behind the JFK Library.

“City officials tell us the space that we’ve used for the past few years is currently occupied by a few campers and recreational vehicles which includes an adjacent parking lot,” said Gwendolyn White, president of the African American Family Reunion Committee which organizes the Juneteenth Celebration.

“We are all committed to providing a clean, safe environment for visitors to enjoy the celebration, and the Waterfront Green is a familiar location to people so we’re looking forward to a great time,” she said.

Organizers have extended the application deadline for vendors and exhibitors to May 15 because many of the participants typically need more time to get everything together to meet requirements to be part of the event.

The Juneteenth event includes a parade, and entries of all kinds will be accepted until June 2. The application is on the website to download at www.vallejojuneteenth.com.

In addition to a variety of exhibitors and merchants, activities for kids, and a wide selection of food prepared by local vendors, the celebration includes an entertainment lineup featuring a range of music styles including funk, R&B, gospel, Latin rock, jazz, and Salsa.

Aspiring singers, dancers, musicians, orators, and other types of performers are invited to audition and must send an online link to a video of the selection they would perform if chosen for the entertainment lineup to aafrc@vallejojuneteenth.com by May 15 and include their contact information. Performances should be no longer than 10 minutes and must be appropriate for all audiences.