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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 18, 2025)
Page 6 June 18, 2025 The community at the Juneteenth Festival. Photo courtesy of Juneteenth website. Juneteenth Oregon’s 53rd Annual Parade Dedicated to Preserving the History of Juneteenth We are thrilled to announce the upcom- ing 2025 Juneteenth Oregon’s 53rd Annual Parade and Festival, which will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. As a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving and amplifying the history and legacy of Juneteenth, we are honored to continue the tradition founded by the late Clara Peoples, a beloved community lead- er who organized Oregon’s first Juneteenth celebration in 1945. Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth “Independence Day” or “Freedom Day,” commemorates the day Union troops en- forced the abolition of slavery and liber- ated enslaved African Americans in Texas on June 19, 1865, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. This significant day marks the end of slav- ery in the United States and is celebrated annually to honor the struggle for freedom and equality. Our Juneteenth Oregon celebrations kick off with The Clara Peoples Freedom Trail Parade at 11am, featuring our 2025 Grand Marshal Pastor Dennis Payne II and First Lady Debra Ingram Payne of First AME Zion, along with community organi- zations. The parade will start at King Park (School), proceed South down MLK, and then West on N. Knott, ending at the festi- val location. The festival will commence around 12:30pm, following the parade, and prom- ises an array of festivities including live music and entertainment, art, food, edu- cational booths, cultural exhibitions, com- munity resources, and a children’s play area. This year’s festival, presented by the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs and NECA IBEW and produced by PDX JAZZ, will feature performances by Ta- hirah Memory, Kirk Green, Vursatyl, and Bridge City Soul. We are excited to offer a variety of lo- cal vendors, food vendors, a beer and wine garden, raffle prizes, and a kid’s area. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors: The Oregonian, Kaiser Per- manente, Urban League of Portland, Moda Health, Providence Health Plan, CareOre- gon, Pride Northwest, Portland Trailblaz- ers, Trimet, Pacific Power, Onpoint Credit Union, Arrow Sanitary Service, and The City of Portland. We hope to see you there to celebrate this important day with us. Let's come to- gether to honor the history and legacy of Juneteenth, and enjoy a day filled with joy, community, and culture.
