Celebrate Juneteenth In Avondale Estates Saturday

AVONDALE ESTATES, GA — The Avondale Alliance for Racial Justice is hosting its second annual Juneteenth Jubilee Stroll event in Avondale Estates this weekend.

The Juneteenth Jubilee Stroll will take place this Saturday, June 19 from 5-7 p.m. at several locations in Avondale Estates, all along Avondale Road/College Avenue, according to a news release from the AARJ. The outdoor event includes live music by Dia Scott, drumming, dance class from Dance Werk by Ayesha, and dance and musical performances by students from the DeKalb School of the Arts.

Juneteenth celebrates the date the last enslaved Black people — located in Galveston, Texas, the westernmost Confederate state — were reached by Union troops and told they were free. This was over two years after the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation.

"Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States," the release said. "It is a symbol of the end of chattel slavery and the continued fight for freedom for people of African descent."

Live outdoor entertainment will be at My Parent's Basement, located at 22 N. Avondale Road. There will be an outdoor Kiddie Korner at Banjo Coffee, located at 38 N. Avondale Road, wotj storytelling, coloring, toy drum making and education about Juneteenth.

Food and other vendors will be in front of 1 Shot Wellness at 2711 E. College Ave.

My Parent's Basement will have food and beer for sale. Local businesses sponsoring the event include: Avondale Pizza Cafe, Banjo Coffee, Kafenio, My Fair Sweets, My Parent’s Basement, The Beer Growler, Savage Pizza, Skips Chicago Dogs and Southern Sweets.

The AARJ — formed in June 2020 — describes itself as a "community-led, anti-racist movement fighting systemic racism through education, activism, community building and accountability," the release said.

Related: Decatur's 1st Juneteenth Celebration Set For Saturday

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