Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is proud to be a presenting partner for the Triad Cultural Arts Juneteenth Festival, the 14th Annual Freedom Celebration of the Triad, being held on Saturday, June 16, at Wake Forest Innovation Quarter. The event is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in the 4th Street/Cherry Street deck.

Plan to attend this family-friendly festival with music, vendors, food, dancing and a lot of fun. Biotech Place Atrium, which will be open from 12 pm to 4 pm, will have educational displays, arts and crafts, historical and community exhibits, spoken word session and vendors. Outside in Bailey Park will be performances, dance workshops, food tastings and vendors, merchandise, youth activities and more from 12 pm to 7 pm.

Wake Forest Baptist will have exhibitor booths to share health education, research study and other information about our organization! We are exclusive sponsor of the Open Seminar, which will take place at 1 pm and 1:30 pm in Biotech Place that day and includes open discussion around health-related topics.

Our sponsorship is a collaborative effort with our Office of Inclusion and Diversity, Office of Cancer Health Equity, the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, the Sticht Center on Aging, CTSI’s Be Involved and Program in Community Engagement, and FaithHealth Ministries.

Triad Cultural Arts is looking for volunteers to help with the festival. If you want to volunteer, go to the Juneteenth Festival Volunteer Form on their website to sign up.

Why do we celebrate Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Learn more about the History of Juneteenth.

Go HERE for more information.