Pre-Juneteenth Celebration 2024 in The Delmar Loop
The Delmar Loop invites you to join us for a vibrant Pre-Juneteenth Celebration on June 15th, marking the beginning of Juneteenth festivities in style. Experience a blend of wellness, vendors, and fun in the Delmar Loop. This year, four organizations are coming together to curate an unforgettable event. Delmar Boulevard, a longstanding symbol of division, is transcending its historical barriers as both sides of the Delmar Loop - University City and St. Louis City, along with Delmar Main Street and the St. Louis Reconciliation Network - unite their efforts to create an extraordinary Juneteenth festival experience. This partnership underscores a shared commitment to fostering unity, celebrating diversity, and commemorating the significance of Juneteenth.
5K Race for Reconciliation:
The festivities kick off with a spirited 5K race/walk from University City Hall to DeBaliviere Ave. and back, starting at 8:30 AM. Participants will traverse the scenic route of Delmar Blvd., formerly recognized as a social, economic, and racial divide, and celebrate the unity and progress that has occurred here.
Vendor Fair & Artistic Delights:
After the race, dive into a vibrant Vendor Fair showcasing the creativity and entrepreneurship of vendors and artists located at the Tivoli Parking Lot. Explore an array of offerings while engaging in family-friendly activities.
Evening Celebration:
As the sun sets, join us for an Evening Celebration at 5900 Delmar filled with captivating performances. Groove to African Dance by Spirit of Angela and the soulful tunes of Red Black & Brass Band. With DJ KP keeping the energy high all night, it’s a party you won’t forget. Plus, catch the exciting car show in the Trolley Parking lot!
Join us for an unforgettable celebration that honors the spirit of Juneteenth and sets the stage for a weekend of commemoration and reflection. Find more information at www.visittheloop.com/events.
Juneteenth features free admission at Missouri Botanical Garden
All three garden sites, special activities available
The Missouri Botanical Garden will offer free admission to all visitors on Sunday, June 19 in honor of Juneteenth. Visitors can spend a restful and restorative day in the Garden and partake in special activities planned for the day.
Admission to the Children’s Garden will also be free for the day. Visitors to the Children’s Garden will receive an okra plug for a “pot-a-plant" activity while supplies last. Okra has strong ties to the African American experience. It was brought to America through the transatlantic slave route, likely as provisions for enslaved people. It is one of the few crops from Africa that could grow in the American climate. It is still used abundantly in Southern cuisine, one of the hallmarks of African diaspora in American cooking.
Dr. Jessica Harris, acclaimed author and featured guest on the Netflix series High on the Hog, talks about the history of okra and other important foods in the African American community in her presentation "The History is on the Plate: Deconstructing African American Food History.” Harris gave this free virtual presentation for the Garden in February. A recording of the presentation will be played in the Garden’s PlantLab from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 19.
The Garden will also share an interpretive visitor guide highlighting significant contributions of African Americans to advance botanical science throughout history. The guide will also offer opportunities for onsite exploration at the Garden, self-reflection, nature journaling, and meditation. Visitors are invited to explore the George Washington Carver Garden, dedicated to Missouri-native scientist Dr. George Washington Carver who greatly influenced 19th and 20th century agriculture and education.
Admission will also be free for all visitors at the Butterfly House in Chesterfield and Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit on Sunday, June 19. The Butterfly House will screen a film created by the University of Wisconsin-Madison that celebrates historic Black entomologists throughout the day.
ABOUT MBOT
The Missouri Botanical Garden’s mission is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life.” Today, 163 years after opening, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for science, conservation, education and horticultural display.
