ORLANDO, Fla. – There are several events planned across Central Florida this weekend to commemorate Juneteenth, the end of slavery in the United States.
This year marks the fourth annual Juneteenth 407 Weekend celebration in Central Florida and event organizers are planning even more activities aimed at supporting Black-owned businesses and teaching others about Juneteenth and the history of freedom.
Knakeesha Samuels is the organizer of the event, which also includes a block party at Luminary Green Park on Saturday where more than 60 Black-owned businesses will take part.
“We create events that help people understand the history, while having fun doing it,” Samuels said. “We believe at Juneteenth 407 Weekend that celebrating Black freedom is also celebrating Black joy, Black excellence.”
[RELATED: Here are festivals, events to celebrate Juneteenth in Central Florida]
Ahead of the official Juneteenth federal holiday on Monday and several events planned for the weekend, Takyshia Freeman, the owner of Shay’s Kitchen located inside the Hall on the Yard in Orlando, is getting her best meals prepped and also promoting a specialty Juneteenth drink.
“Everybody knows, come to Shay’s Kitchen if you want good food,” Freeman said. “We’ve got friend chicken, collard greens, macaroni and cheese and our sweet honey cornbread.”
Her restaurant is one of several Black-owned business across Central Florida part of a scavenger hunt running from 9 a.m. Friday through 9 p.m. Saturday for Juneteenth. The idea of the scavenger hunt is to complete various challenges for prizes at different Black businesses around the community.
Freeman said while she welcomes the business, it’s also about learning and appreciating history.
“It’s more than just supporting the business,” Freeman said. “This weekend it’s about supporting us, Black people as a whole, and supporting what we stand for.”
Nikki Akins at Nikki’s Place, a spot selling soul food in Parramore, is also on the scavenger hunt list and is inviting everyone to learn more about Black history in honor of the holiday.
“We want everyone to know how important it was for us to be emancipated and how important it was for us to be unified together,” Akins said.
There will be a QR code posted at those many business for the scavenger hunt for people to scan and there will also be prizes.
The final list of businesses has not yet been released.
To find out more about the scavenger hunt and the 407 Juneteenth events that begin Friday, click here.
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