Juneteenth events planned for Friday, Saturday and Monday

Juneteenth events in Poplar Bluff will begin Friday and continue Saturday and Monday giving area residents multiple opportunities to celebrate.

Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and Monday is the official federal holiday.

The educational part of the activities will begin at 10 a.m. Friday at the Northside Community Center, at 1450 Garfield St.

Annie Hinton of the center said, the educational part will discuss the meaning and importance of Juneteenth.

“We hope people will come and celebrate with us,” Hinton said. “We’re going to have a panel discussion with local people.”

A picnic-style lunch will be served for a donation to the community center, Hinton said. Donations are $5 for adults and youngsters under 5 eat free.

“We’re going to have friendly games and bingo,” Hinton said.

R.T. McCain is excited about how the events are growing.

“Saturday, we will be at Bacon Park and the park will open at 10 a.m.,” McCain said. “We will have probably over 30 plus vendors including food trucks. We will have entertainment. That morning, we’ll open the park and the celebration with prayer by my father, Pastor Ronald McCain.”

McCain said, “I love seeing it all come together. Everyone from the elderly pillars in the community to the new people. The kids and everybody in between will have a good time. We’re very excited about them continually chiming in with us and being a part of the event, along with the people in the community who are cooking, providing arts and crafts and having their product on display. I mean, that was a huge hit. Last year, we had one of the catering vendors actually ended up after the event getting such a demand that she went full time into her business. Just seeing people’s dreams grow.”

DJ Anthony Youngblood will be on one side of the park and DJ Kelly Robinson at the other end.

At the main entrance will be the stage for that evening.

“We’ll do the talent show,” McCain said. “We’re excited about that this year. We have some good local talent who are going to be showcasing their skills around 7 p.m.”

According to McCain, “everything leads up to the nightcap. The crescendo, the fireworks. We’ll end the celebration with fireworks that night. I love just seeing it all come together. Everyone from the elderly pillars in the community to the new folks, the kids, and everybody in between will have a good time.”

Alan Scott with PB Elite Travel Football Team will do a whole circuit in the field that have one on one competitions set up for prizes. There will be bouncy houses and a three-on-three tournament. This is the first year for kickball and it will be for all age groups. None of this would be possible if it weren’t for the Juneteenth Celebration committee consisting of McCain, Harvey Heard, Bret McKay, Jason Matlock, Tom Matlock, and Nikki Johnson, but McCain stressed “We are just people in the community coming together making this happen.”

Monday activities will be from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Wheatley School and are sponsored by Wheatley Historical Preservation Association.

WHPA officer Rex Rattler said a select group of individuals will be honored and “we’ll have a little tea and do entertainment.”

Rattler is not announcing the honorees until Monday, but these people will be recognized for their time, effort and stewardship.

Rattler said, those missing the final event for the local Juneteenth will miss recognizing people important to the community.

He this year’s Juneteenth events have been a collaborative effort to offer the celebration.

Juneteenth sponsors are: Poplar Bluff Mayor Shane Cornman, Bryce Huffman, City Manager Matt Winters, Jeff and Ashley Baldwin, and DJ Kelly Robinson, Concerned Mothers Coalition, District 25 Probation and Parole, Community Action Board, Fowler Gas Company, Home City Ice, Brian Wisdom and Troy Wisdom — Gladiator Pyro, Summerall Construction, Sears Youth Center, Poplar Bluff Fire Department, Poplar Bluff Police Department, Butler County EMS, Elite Vision Multimedia, PB Kings, Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation, Lanny Corcimiglia, Summit Electrical, Walmart, City of Poplar Bluff, Rowland Family Dentistry, Commerce Bank, Wheatley Historical Preservation Association, Poplar Bluff Juneteenth Celebration Committee, Bluff Signs, Northside Community Center, Grindtime Development, PB Elite Football, SEMO Civic Social Club, Hucks Convenient Store, Baldwin Ford, Sparklight, Dr. Pepper, radio stations 91.1 and 95.5, the Bread Shed and Pepsi.