Ypsilanti’s third annual Juneteenth celebration will take place June 16-18, combining both entertainment and education into one exciting weekend. Live music, food trucks, comedy, and more will be available in the parking lot behind Puffer Reds, 113 W. Michigan Ave. in downtown Ypsilanti.

Juneteenth planning committee member Trische' Duckworth says that after 2022’s Juneteenth celebration, she and other committee members found that the community had a desire for more entertainment options throughout the celebration, in addition to educational discussions and resources.

“This year we have been very strategic at adding bands and more entertainment,” Duckworth says. “We wanted to put that in place but also make sure people got good information.”

To do this, the committee created a Health Education and Learning (HEAL) station, where attendees will be able to get information on topics such as jobs, health care, and reparations while still enjoying live performances and visiting other vendors. 

“When they circulate the area, they get stamps on a passport, and if they bring it back they get entered into a drawing,” Duckworth says. Prizes will include full body massages, gaming systems, and merch from event sponsor Converse.

Other sponsors, like returning collaborator Puffer Reds, will hold a contest for Ypsilanti-area high school students to submit designs to paint onto canvas bags by Friday, June 9. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three artists. 

Attendees can also look forward to a celebration of the Divine Nine, the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities, and other Black organizations on the evening of Friday the 16th. On Saturday the 17th, a parade will circle the celebration. Children can visit the “Black Joy Kids Corner” on Saturday to decorate bicycles to ride in the parade, and enjoy games and storytelling. Sunday the 18th will bring “Gospel and Giggles,” a program featuring gospel performers and comedy hosted by Ypsilanti comedian Bigg Dooley.

Sponsors of the event include Ypsi Real, Ann Arbor SPARK, Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley, as well as planning committee members including Cherisa Allen of Ypsilanti nonprofit Women and Men Working for Change and Travis Willis from Ypsilanti Marketing and Print Company.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information on events and vendors, visit the Ypsilanti Juneteenth Celebration Facebook page. For more information on volunteering during the event, contact Duckworth at (734) 252-6075.

Rylee Barnsdale is a Michigan native and longtime Washtenaw County resident. She wants to use her journalistic experience from her time at Eastern Michigan University writing for the Eastern Echo to tell the stories of Washtenaw County residents that need to be heard.

Photo courtesy of Trische' Duckworth.