Vallejo Juneteenth application deadline extended to May 15

Vallejo, CA | Organizers of Vallejo’s 32nd Annual Juneteenth Celebration have extended the deadline for vendors and exhibitors to submit their application and fees to May 15. Juneteenth will be held on Saturday, June 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park downtown at Mare Island Way and Capitol Street behind the JFK Library.

The application is available online at vallejojuneteenth.com. Food vendors must also secure a permit from the Solano County Department of Resource Management before May 15. All participants must provide proof of liability insurance. Eligible exhibitors may apply to purchase an affordable one-day policy on the Juneteenth website.

Organizers say space is still available for vendors and exhibitors of all types with affordable application fees ranging from $25 to $200. Community Partner and sponsorship opportunities are also available. The organization has invited as many as 75-100 exhibitors to the event which attracts hundreds of visitors who come to enjoy vendors selling merchandise and food, activities for children, and live entertainment. The event also features nonprofit and for-profit organizations and businesses, entrepreneurs, and others who want to provide information about healthcare and wellness services and programs, financial planning for banking, retirement and life insurance, homeownership, educational opportunities, job training and employment, small business development, and many other programs and services. Corporate, business and community sponsors are also being sought to support this event.

The entertainment program will feature a lineup of popular bands arranged through a partnership with well-known Bay Area promoter Frazier Trager Presents. “This year we’ve got a great mix of music that will appeal to a variety of our visitors, including jazz saxophonist Ron Burris, R&B artists Project 4 Band, and Blues guitarist Alvon Johnson,” said AAFRC President Gwendolyn White. The program will also showcase homegrown talent performing gospel music, spoken word, choreographed dance, demonstrations, and more. The celebration will also include presentations by the winners of the “Juneteenth: What Does Freedom Mean to Me” K-12 student art contest sponsored by the Solano County Library.

The festival is a historical recognition of freedom from slavery in the United States when slaves in Galveston, Texas, received word of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865. Events are held across the nation and in other countries, typically on the third Saturday in June.

The African American Family Reunion Committee presents the Juneteenth festival to raise community awareness and promote unity by improving quality of life for residents, bringing together a variety of public, private, and nonprofit resources and providers in the areas of health and wellness, social programs, financial stability, homeownership, education, job training, and certification opportunities.

For more information is on the website at www.vallejojuneteenth.com

# # #