Juneteenth Celebration Planned In Enfield

ENFIELD, CT — A Juneteenth celebration featuring African-inspired dance and drumming is planned for Saturday, June 20, in Enfield.

The “Catch Spirit! Juneteenth Celebration” will run from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 4 Alden Ave., the address for Thompson Hall in Enfield’s Thompsonville section. The event is being hosted by the Ujima African American Alliance.

The celebration will feature Ammaya Dance & Drum, with African-inspired dance and drum circles for adults and children of all ages. According to the event listing, the program is meant to give participants a chance to release energy, lift spirits, connect with others, have fun and get healthy exercise.

Ujima African American Alliance is an Enfield-based organization focused on educating, inspiring and engaging the African American community. The group has previously organized Juneteenth programming in town, including community celebrations highlighting African American history, culture and heritage.

A separate Juneteenth event is also scheduled in Enfield on Friday, June 19. “Juneteenth: Strawberries, Storytelling, and Poetry” is listed for 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Old Town Hall, 1294 Enfield St., and is expected to include storytelling, poetry and readings from Enfield Poet Laureate Nzima Hutchings.

Juneteenth, observed June 19, marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It became a federal holiday in 2021.