Woburn's Juneteenth Celebration To Feature Speakers, Art, Food, Music

WOBURN, MA — Woburn's third-ever Juneteenth celebration will take place next month and feature guest speakers —including Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell — art, artisans, food, student performances and a concert.

"Juneteenth Woburn 2023: Celebrating a World of Black Excellence" is scheduled for 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 17th at Library Field Park, on Harrison Ave.

The free event is hosted by Social Capital, Inc. (SCI) in partnership with the Woburn Public Library, Mayor Scott Galvin and the City of Woburn, St. John's Baptist Church of Woburn, Woburn Welcomes and the Woburn Democratic City Committee.

Juneteenth is a national holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. It is officially observed on June 19.

The Woburn event will begin at 1 p.m. with all-ages crafts and activities at the Woburn Public Library. There also will be an Artists and Makers Market, food vendors and a student art exhibit created by kids from the James L. McKeown Boys & Girls Club of Woburn. These activities will run until 4 p.m.

At 2 p.m., the speaking program will include Galvin, State Rep. Michelle Ciccolo, State Rep. Richard Haggerty, State Sen. Cindy Campbell and SCI Deputy Director Philip Gordon. Andrea Campbell, a Roxbury native and the 45th Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, will deliver the keynote address.

At 3 p.m., a step team from Woburn Memorial High School will be among the student performances.

The 4 p.m. concert will be headlined by Latrell James, and also will include opening acts Seefour and Tori Tori, and featured artists Ashante Nicole, BML J.R., Eva Davenport, Matt Koy, and Partyboy Woodz.

Commemorative Juneteenth Woburn '23 apparel is available online, and all proceeds from the sales will go to supporting the event, organizers said.

Juneteenth Woburn 2023 also is supported by grants from the Woburn Cultural Council and the Mass Cultural Council.

Over 400 community members attended the 2022 Juneteen event in Woburn, which featured a keynote address by Michael Curry, president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. There also was a speech, delivered virtually, Dr. Bernard Lafayette, a leader of the Civil Rights Movement.