ABOUT US

 

Hello, my name is Nancy Rogers, I am the Chairperson for the Juneteenth Committee. This coming year, we will be celebrating our 49th year of putting on this festival.  

​

Forty-nine years ago, a few very active students from Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Junior College got together to protest. They were protesting to stop a street that the city was going to build through the park, Known as South Park. Today, it is called The Martin Luther King Park. The students decided to protest, but they needed a lot of people to attend, so they put out the word that they were going to have a Free gathering with free food, games, music, basketball and more. They needed everyone to come out. They got a whole lot of people to come out and then they explain to the people, what they were trying to do. The hundreds of people that came out decided to protest with the student. After the protest, the city of Santa Rosa decided not to put a road through the park. The celebration was a success and the students decided to have it every year.  They name the festival, Martin Luther King festival.

​

Years later, after Martin Luther King, became a Holiday, more and more people were asking about the celebration of Juneteenth. The Committee voted to add Juneteenth to the name and now it is known mostly for the Juneteenth festival.

​

 We celebrate on the third Saturday of June each Year. We have Gospel, Jazz Rap & R&B Music. There are Children games, Basketball Tournament, Art & Craft, Speakers and a whole lot of food.

​

 It is a a family day for the community to come and remember, why we celebrate this important day.