Juneteenth, a nationwide cultural event celebrating the end of slavery and African American independence, like many other events and summer traditions is adapting to social distancing rules and guidelines.
Usually located in Denver’s Historic Five Points neighborhood, this year the festival will move to a virtual one-day event to protect the health and safety of its vendors and attendees. The 2020 Virtual Juneteenth Music Festival will take place on Thursday, June 18.
The Juneteenth Music Festival will present a day of entertainment, educational programming and The DREAM BIG Awards. It will include live music performances, panel discussions, dance contests and stand-up comedy.
The DREAM BIG Awards honor individuals who have set high standards and have a profoundly positive impact on their individual communities and the African American community as a whole. This year’s DREAM BIG Award winners include Joy Ann Reid of the “Reid This Reid That” Podcast, Tiffany Aliche also known as “The Budgetnista,” Chanel Turner the founder of The Black Owned Wine and Spirits Festival and John Burns, founder of Icon Talks and many more.
There will also be a Women’s Panel, LGBTQ Panels, an Icon Chat with Colorado Senator Rhonda Fields. Additionally, MC’s from Denver, Dallas, DC and LA will tune in to host a Virtual Barz Cypher and dances in a Virtual Buckdown Challenge. There will also be a virtual vendor marketplace where there will be downloadable merchandise including kid’s coloring books and curriculum, prominent African American Chefs’ recipes and more.
With over 50,000 attendees in the past, the Denver festival is the largest Juneteenth Music Festival in the country. With the challenge of moving virtual and the new digital landscape, JMF wants to create awareness for freedom and inclusion of all this year.
The goal of the 2020 festival is also to create experiences people can enjoy from home and to educate a larger number of people about the American milestone Juneteenth stands for.
“The 2020 Juneteenth Music Festival invites all to join, online, for a positive, educational and entertaining day celebrating African American history,” JMF stated in a statement.
A full schedule of the festival will be released in the coming days.
For more information on how to attend this year’s Virtual Juneteenth Music Festival, take a look at their website or follow them on Instagram.
