Juneteenth will be celebrated in Culver City this weekend, with the City hosting its main event on Saturday, June 20 at Veterans Memorial Park.
“The free, family-friendly event will bring the community together for live performances, music, food, family activities, and reflections on the history and significance of Juneteenth,” a City statement reads. “The program will include ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’ welcome remarks from Culver City officials and invited dignitaries, live dance and music performances, a DJ, and a brief program highlighting Juneteenth history.”
Scheduled speakers and invited dignitaries include Vice Mayor Bryan “Bubba” Fish, California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, California State Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, and a representative from Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove’s office.
Program Highlights
12 p.m. — “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and welcome
12:10 p.m. — Opening remarks by City officials and invited dignitaries
12:20 p.m. — LA Dance Posse performance and audience participation
1:15 p.m. — Live music by NELO
1:35 p.m. — DJ Caleb Krump music and dance performance
1:50 p.m. — Juneteenth history remarks
2:00 p.m. — Dana Vaughn performance
2:40 p.m. — DJ Caleb Krump
2:55 p.m. — Closing remarks
The celebration will include live music and dance performances, community gathering and family activities, reading and kids area, Juneteenth-themed décor and stage activation, and audience participation and community celebration.
That event takes place at 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, JUne 20 at Veterans Memorial Park Field, 4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City 90230. It’s free and open to the public.
Also on Saturday, in the evening, the Culver City Symphony will celebrate Juneteenth with A Tribute to Our Roots in Black America.
“Maestro Clyde Mitchell and the Orchestra present a powerful Juneteenth celebration featuring works by Florence Price, George Walker, William Grant Still, and Scott Joplin—honoring the enduring influence of Black composers on American music, their notable ‘firsts,’ and their links with the history of our Orchestra and of Los Angeles,” they say.
A press release goes on to detail the Black composers to be celebrated at the concert.
“In 1936, Still conducted the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl – the first time an African-American conducted a major American orchestra,” they say. “Our founder, George Berres, was then a violinist in the LA Phil, and became a good friend of Still and an ardent promoter of his works.”
“Florence Price made history in 1933 when her First Symphony was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. ?She often included African American themes and folk elements in her music. Composed in 1953, the last year of her life, her piano suite Dances in the Canebrakes captures the experiences of Black Americans on Southern Plantations As one of her last compositions, it was left to our CCSO friend William Grant Still to orchestrate.”
“William Grant Still often is referred to as the “Dean of Afro-American Composers”. He was able to become a leading figure in the field of American classical music as the first African-American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, have a symphony, his “Afro-American Symphony,” performed by a leading orchestra, have an opera performed by a major opera company, and have an opera performed on national television. ?Since 1966, the Orchestra has featured works by Still. This drawing of Still, by Susan Fetta, was created for a Festival of Still’s music presented by the Orchestra in 1993, which included our first performance of his Afro-American Symphony.”
That event takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 at the Robert Frost Auditorium. For more information, visit https://www.culvercitysymphony.org/clyde-mitchell-program-notes.html