Juneteenth planning committee outlines large June celebration with 77 vendors, performances

The parks department and a community-led planning committee presented details of Lancaster's fourth annual Juneteenth community celebration during the council meeting.

Christina Smith, parks liaison to the planning committee, introduced volunteers who outlined the program. Organizers said the event is scheduled for June 15 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Sergeant Steve Owen Mario Park and will include roughly 77 vendors offering food (barbecue, tacos, lemonade and other items), nonprofit booths, mental-health resources and military representation. Performances will include a tap dancer, a family dance group called the Storm Family, 40-and-up double-Dutch, a celebrity co-host and an R&B headliner; committee members said local youth and professional stage entertainment are planned, along with free family activities such as crafts, lawn games, art lessons, roller skating and a youth art contest.

Committee members and parks staff told the council last year's peak attendance based on cell‑phone analytics was about 3,000 people at the event's height. Parks staff described the city’s use of Placer.ai (cell‑phone analytics software) for attendance and visitor-origin data and said the tool is also used by economic development.

Councilmembers thanked the committee and were invited to attend and support the event.