Celebrate Juneteenth in Buffalo this Weekend

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Jun 17th 2005, 2:24pm By queenseyes

celebrate juneteenth this weekend.jpg Come celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Juneteenth Festival this weekend. The Juneteenth Festival of Buffalo was started in 1976 by B.U.I.L.D., a community-based organization, as a culturally relevant alternative to the country's Bicentennial Celebration. The group originally blocked off part of Jefferson Avenue, the "Main Street" of Buffalo's Black community, for a weekend celebration. Murals were painted, vendors set up booths to sell ethnic foods and wares, and entertainment and festivities were abundant. After several years, the Juneteenth Festival outgrew Jefferson Avenue. It is now held in Martin Luther King Jr. Park at the intersection of Best Street and Fillmore Avenue. Attendance will hopefully broach 100,000 people this year!

Juneteenth of Buffalo, Inc. exists exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Staffed by volunteers, it's mission is to actively preserve and promote the broad spectrum of African American heritage through educational and cultural activities that will benefit the community as a whole.

Here are just a few events you can look forward to this weekend: 5k Run, Festival Parade, Drill Team Competition, African Drum and Dance Lessons, Underground Railroad Tours, Job Fair / Book Fair, Arts and Cultural Stage.

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