Celebrate Juneteenth on Main with music, poetry, dance, and more

A new event will come to downtown Three Rivers on Thursday, June 19, to celebrate Juneteenth with performances by musical artists, poets, dancers, and more.

Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, but has been observed since the mid 1800s. It commemorates the date that the last enslaved people in Texas learned of their liberation on June 19, 1865 by order of the Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863.

Watershed Voice spoke with Aundrea Sayrie, one of the organizers of the event. Juneteenth on Main will take place from 5:30-9 p.m. in the East Alley.

This interview was conducted via email and has been edited for length and clarity. 

Deborah Haak-Frost: What kind of acts are performing at the event?

Aundrea Sayrie: This year’s Juneteenth event will showcase Black art in various forms including mime dancing, storytelling, a youth dance troupe, drumming, poetry, a talented DJ, and song. Each performance has been curated with the intention to celebrate the Black experience and most importantly, Black freedom in America. Many of the acts are local, while others are coming out of Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, and even Chicago. 

DHF: This is the first Juneteenth event to take place downtown. What was your role in bringing the event together?

AS: It’s exciting to see the growth of our little town and to be a part of the first downtown Juneteenth event. It was bound to happen. There have been talks and smaller events for a few years now. This year’s event was a collaboration of like minds: the George Washington Carver Community Center, Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority, the Huss Project, and the 3rd Saturdays Collective to be exact. When I was invited to aid in bringing this vision to fruition, I was very hands-on. I sought out and booked artists, created marketing materials that Graffiti Graphics & Packaging then brought to life, facilitated conversations between artists and groups — truly anything and everything it took to produce a meaningful and enjoyable event.

DHF: What does Juneteenth mean to you personally? 

AS: Unlike other holidays, there is a deep responsibility that I feel to celebrate Juneteenth. It comes from knowing that my freedom wasn’t free. My ancestors paid for it in blood. Yes, that fact rings true for many historical battles of independence, but this one was a win for my bloodline. Kin past, and kin to come. It is my responsibility to pass its history on to my children. Also to commemorate the lives and stories of those who were freed in 1865 through celebration. 

DHF: What kind of vibe can attendees expect at the event?

AS: My best hope is that attendees will be curious, engaged with their hearts, and open-minded. If they are, then the vibe will be spiritual. This type of art is meant to invoke deep emotions and speak to the soul.

DHF: Anything else you’d like to share?

AS: Growing up, Juneteenth was an all-Black affair. I never saw anyone else. So to see it be acknowledged and embraced by all types of Americans now is exciting! Come with curiosity, and in solidarity of strengthening our community. This is expected to a moment of peaceful unity and celebration. And that is a benefit to us all.

Deborah Haak-Frost is the Caretaker for Community Engagement at GilChrist Retreat Center in Three Rivers, and volunteers with *culture is not optional, a Three Rivers-based community development organization.