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Juneteenth festival Saturday in Sharpsburg | TribLIVE.com
Fox Chapel Herald

Juneteenth festival Saturday in Sharpsburg

Tawnya Panizzi
Tawnya Panizzi
5171328_web1_her-juneteenth2-070121
Courtesy of Kayla Portis
The inaugural Juneteenth celebration in Sharpsburg in 2021 drew about 250 people. The second annual celebration is scheduled for Saturday, June 25 from 4-8 p.m. at Kennedy Park along North Canal Street.
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Tawnya Panizzi | Tribune-Review
Kayla Portis looks at a display that depicts the four generations of her family at the Sharpsburg Community Library. Portis’s family was among the first Black residents of the borough and have helped shaped the community for 100 years.
5171328_web1_her-sharpsjuneteenth-063022
Courtesy of Kayla Portis
Singer Karen Arrington is scheduled to perform the Black National Anthem “Lift Every Voice” during Sharpsburg’s 2022 Juneteeth celebration on Saturday from 4-8 p.m. at Kennedy Park. She performed at the 2021 Juneteenth celebration in Sharpsburg.

Sharpsburg will host its second annual Juneteenth festival on Saturday, June 25, seeking to promote cultural change in the borough and beyond.

Hosted by the Fox Chapel Social Justice group, the event will showcase Black-owned businesses and offer family-friendly fun.

“Juneteenth is a holiday of progress that represents the fight for social justice and freedom, a celebration of the end of such a volatile part of history,” said group President Kayla Portis.

She also is a member of Sharpsburg Council, the first Black person ever elected to serve in the borough.

Juneteenth marks the end of slavery in the United States. Officially celebrated on June 19, it was signed into law as a federal holiday by President Biden in 2021.

The borough’s free event will be 4 to 8 p.m. in Kennedy Park along North Canal Street. All are welcome. Portis said the party in the park is meant to draw a diverse crowd in hopes that people mingle and learn from their neighbors.

Karen Arrington, a Pittsburgh-based soloist, will sing the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice.”

It will feature booths by Black-owned businesses, including soul food, Negro League sports apparel, exotic oils, candles, authors, handmade jewelry and beauty products.

An artist will be on hand to sketch caricatures, and there will be yoga demonstrations on the lawn.

There will also be games, music and food.

“This is a really fun, family event for everyone,” said volunteer Anne Houston. “By coming to the event, you are supporting Black-owned businesses in the area.”

Portis said it’s important to use the platform to promote minority-owned businesses. She said Pittsburgh ranks low among American cities with the number of Black-owned businesses at just 1% compared with the national average of 2.4%.

“Cultural change is economic change,” Portis said. “It’s time to recognize Black people for their achievements, innovations and victories in our schools and communities, not just the history of pain and survival that my ancestors have endured.”

Tawnya Panizzi is a TribLive reporter. She joined the Trib in 1997. She can be reached at tpanizzi@triblive.com.

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Categories: Fox Chapel Herald | Local
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