On June 19, 1865, Union general Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and issued a proclamation freeing the town’s enslaved people, who were still being held in bondage despite the Confederacy’s surrender two months earlier. For many years now — long before it was made a national holiday in 2021 — Texans have celebrated this occasion as Juneteenth, a time to reflect, remember and most importantly celebrate with family, friends and community. Here are a few ways to celebrate Juneteenth in San Antonio this year.
Freedom: A Juneteenth Culinary Conversation
As illustrated in the recent Netflix docuseries High on the Hog, much of what we now call American food has its origins in the culinary contributions of enslaved Black people. Highlighting this is the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum, which is hosting a Juneteenth culinary panel discussion in partnership with Texas Public Radio (TPR) to celebrate and uplift Black culinary heritage — and also serve delicious food. The celebration starts off with opportunities for networking on the TPR lawn with drinks and food sold by Chef Darryl Smith of Wing It and Sip It, followed by the main event: a panel discussion and Q&A session featuring four esteemed panelists. Chef VickyV (Victoria Taylor) is a 12-year-old culinary ace who started whipping up delicacies at age 8 and now owns her own catering company. Marcus Baskerville operates five-time San Antonio Brewery of the Year winner Weathered Souls Brewing Co. and founded Black Is Beautiful, an advocacy project involving craft brewers across the world dedicated to combating racial injustice. Adrian Lipscomb seeks to maintain the legacy of Black agriculture by working with the 40 Acres Project, an organization that buys and restores Black-owned farmland. Finally, Adrian E. Miller is a soul food scholar and writer from Denver, who was featured in High on the Hog and also happens to be a certified barbecue judge. After the discussion and Q&A moderated by TPR producer Dallas Williams, guests can meet the panelists and enjoy eats catered by All Things Gourmet and Chef VickyV. Those looking to attend can RSVP on the Texas Public Radio website. Free, 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, Malú and Carlos Alvarez Theater, Texas Public Radio, 321 W. Commerce St., saaacam.org.
Juneteenth Festival
In 1996, local organizers created the San Antonio Juneteenth Commission to honor and celebrate the emancipation of Black Americans while lifting up their voices. The commission’s work led to the establishment of an annual Juneteenth Festival, which has been held at Comanche Park on the East Side for more than two decades. This year, the celebration features vendors, food, activities for kids and plenty of live music. DJs will spin all day and night, and musicians will take the stage on Friday and Saturday evenings. San Antonio ensemble The Legends will provide the music Friday night while Larry Braggs, former frontman of the legendary horn-driven R&B band Tower of Power, will perform Saturday. Friday night also will feature a fish fry, which benefits the Flotilla Club’s scholarship fund for San Antonio-area students. Free, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17, Comanche Park #2, 2600 Rigsby Ave., juneteenthsanantonio.com.
Juneteenth Block Party and Fair
With partners including the African American Chamber of Commerce of San Antonio and the San Antonio Food Bank, the third annual Juneteenth Block Party and Fair is relatively new but packs in a lot of celebratory good times. Come for the food trucks and live music, stay for the play areas, speakers, vendors and organizations offering info on education, small business resources and health and wellness, three areas where Black Americans have historically suffered from a lack of opportunity and access. The Block Party is organized by the Dream Big Scholarship Fund to raise money for its scholarships and education programs. $10-$20, 3-9 p.m. Saturday, June 17, Crockett Park, 1300 N. Main Ave., sanantoniojuneteenth.com.
Freedom: A Gospel Celebration of Juneteenth
On the afternoon of Juneteenth proper, a wide-ranging group of gospel legends will converge on the Tobin Center’s stage for a show that promises to enshrine the Black experience in America in the form of joyful noise. Organized by SAAACAM and Houston’s Gospel Music Haus and Museum, the show begins with the San Antonio Gospel Heritage Choir, featuring soloist Icy Monroe, honoring Mimi Redd, the original singer of “Order My Steps.” Then, Gospel Music Haus founder — and Gospel Music Hall of Fame member — V. Michael McKay performs gospel hits with the Houston Legends Choir. Finally, the legendary gospel and Christian singer Brian Courtney Wilson, a Grammy Award nominee and Stellar Award recipient, takes the stage to spread the gospel messages of faith, community and hope, even as injustice persists. $10, 4 p.m. Monday, June 19, H-E-B Performance Hall, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org.
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This article appears in Jun 14-27, 2023.