Vallejo Juneteenth invites participants for downtown parade

For the first time, the annual Vallejo Juneteenth celebration will include a community parade through the streets of downtown on Saturday, June 17. The parade will start at 9am at Broadway and Tennessee and end near Martin Luther King, Jr. Park behind City Hall at Mare Island Way and Capitol Street where the 33rd Annual Juneteenth Festival will be held. The festival runs from 11 am to 5 pm.

Organizers are inviting people to participate in a variety of categories, including businesses, churches, school groups, community and public service organizations, elected officials and dignitaries, or individuals. Other entry categories include drill and cheer teams, school bands, drumlines, car and motorcycle clubs, and automobiles from the vintage era through Gen Z. Two-wheeled entries are also encouraged to participate, including bicycle, skateboard, scooter, and roller skate groups. There are also categories for floats, equestrian, and novelty entries. There is no entry fee for the parade. The application can be downloaded from the Juneteenth website at https://www.vallejojuneteenth.com/parade-application. The deadline to submit the application is June 2.

Juneteenth organizers are also seeking merchandise and food vendors, and exhibitors to table at the festival. Corporate, business, and community sponsors are also being sought at premiere, gold, silver, and bronze levels. The application is available on the website and due by April 30.

Juneteenth commemorates freedom for the remaining enslaved people of African heritage in Texas two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Two years ago, President Joe Biden proclaimed June 19, 2021, as Juneteenth Day of Observance. Juneteenth is observed around the world and known as the oldest commemoration of the historic era. More information is available at www.vallejojuneteenth.com.

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