Tampa Bay Juneteenth Festival returns to Raymond James Stadium
TAMPA, Fla. - For the third year in a row, parking lots 3 and 4 at Raymond James Stadium served as the celebration center for the Annual Tampa Bay Juneteenth Festival.
"What Juneteenth means to me is being able to celebrate our many accomplishments and the excellence of what blacks have been doing from the 1800s to today," Roc The Block Festival volunteer coordinator Sheryl Rogers said.
Juneteenth commemorates the anniversary of when more than 250,000 slaves in Texas were the last to be declared free back on June 19th, 1865.
In 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, declaring June 19th a federal holiday.
"This is a huge celebration of freedom. We were denied for a long time, and then we got our freedom, and then it was denied from us in other states, so the fact that in 1865, all states were free means a big deal," Precious Treasures Gourmet Food Owner Torrye Wells said.
Wells and her company Precious Treasures Gourmet Food, is one of the more than 150 black-owned businesses who took part in Saturday's celebration.
Wells has everything from homemade jams to more than 100 different butter flavors.
"Butter changes everything. It's a changing game. Okay. If you're not using butter on stuff. Shame on you because it just brings food life," Wells said.
Along with the food, the festival featured live music and entertainment from various local groups and performers.
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"We're out here fellowshipping with everybody. Juneteenth is special. It's a celebration of freedom. What other way is there to celebrate than with everybody," Fyne Suga Owner Melissa Mapps said.
Rogers hopes people come out to understand the importance of Juneteenth.
"I want them to have the experience that's really what it's all about, just coming in, embodying the legacy, the culture, and having a good time," Rogers said.