Community members gathered in downtown State College on Saturday to celebrate Juneteenth with live music, performances, local vendors and community programming centered on this year’s theme of “Roots, Rhythm and Resilience.”
The event marked the borough’s seventh Juneteenth celebration.
Hosted by the Borough of State College, alongside the Penn State Center for Performing Arts and Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, the annual celebration filled South Fraser Street and the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza with performances, food vendors, educational exhibits and activities recognizing Black history, culture and contributions.
Genevie De Los Santos, the borough’s diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging program assistant, said the theme highlighted the connections between history, culture and community.
“Roots connect us to the stories, traditions, cultures and ancestors who paved the way. Rhythm lives in the music, art, faith, food and creativity that continue to shape our communities. Resilience is found in the strength of those who persevered through injustice and in those who continue the work of building a more equitable future,” De Los Santos said.
She added that Juneteenth serves as an opportunity for people of different backgrounds and generations to come together.
Dozens of vendors and organizations lined Fraser Street throughout the afternoon. Among them were Carter’s Table, Mya’s Potroast, Penn State Athletics, Penn State College of Medicine and its Lion Mobile Clinic, along with numerous local businesses, artists and community groups.
Entertainment remained a focal point of the celebration. Morgan Parker performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black National Anthem, followed by borough poet laureate Carmin Wong and drummer Rolando Simon delivering a performance blending spoken word and percussion.
Additional performances throughout the day featured the UCJC Gospel Worship Team, Jackie Brown and Bubble Gum Soul, rayDIANCE and JUMP DC, whose high-energy routines combined music, movement and youth expression. Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Maya Azucena headlined the event.
A new addition to this year’s celebration was a scavenger hunt designed to encourage attendees to visit vendors, interact with community organizations and explore the event. Participants traveled throughout the festival collecting clues and learning about local businesses, nonprofits and resources while engaging more directly with exhibitors.
The event opened with remarks from community leaders and organizers, who reflected on Juneteenth’s significance while encouraging attendees to celebrate and continue building a more inclusive community.
Sita Frederick, director of the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State, delivered a land acknowledgment recognizing the Indigenous nations connected to the region and emphasized the importance of acknowledging both Black and Indigenous histories.
“Thank you for holding these names in our bodies and in our minds today as we think about the future of this country and how we can each drive change that is meaningful and powerful for freedom to be real,” Frederick said.
Several speakers connected the historical significance of Juneteenth to ongoing efforts to expand opportunity and equity in communities today.
Colleen Ritter, executive director of the State College Community Land Trust, noted that while Juneteenth commemorates emancipation, freedom has long been tied to access to opportunity and stability.
“Throughout American history, people have understood that freedom is more than legal rights. It is also about opportunity, stability and building a future for yourself and your family,” Ritter said.
Community land trusts emerged from the civil rights movement, Ritter said, and continue to support affordable homeownership opportunities while helping families establish long-term roots in their communities.
Pastor Shani McKenzie of Unity Church of Jesus Christ offered a prayer honoring those who endured generations of oppression while continuing to pursue freedom and justice.
“As we commemorate Juneteenth, we honor the generations who prayed, persevered and trusted through oppression and injustice,” McKenzie said. “We celebrate the victories won through sacrifice and the progress made through the determination of those who believe that freedom and dignity belong to all people.”
State College Mayor Ezra Nanes also reflected on the day’s significance, encouraging residents and visitors to recognize both the history behind Juneteenth and the work that remains.
“I encourage all residents and visitors to honor this important day in American history, celebrate the enduring contributions of African American culture and continue the work of building a community rooted in freedom, dignity and belonging,” Nanes said.
Established as a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
