NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Emancipation Day Committee is looking for new members to help with next year's event, even as they prepare for this weekend in Hutchinson. The hope is to get the next generation involved in the celebration.
"It's been 17 years," said committee member Dellis Neal. "When I moved back, I immediately got involved. My dad, Jim McCurtis was on the committee for awhile. I kind of took over his spot."
The expansion of Juneteenth into a federal holiday has not dimmed the light of the long-time Emancipation Day celebration here in Hutchinson.
"I think that there's room for both of them," Neal said. "We need all the celebration that we can get. I applaud Shontina Tipton for getting together and getting that started and she's also a big supporter of the Emancipation Day activities."
Events will begin Friday night August 4 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Rice Park.
Bring your dinner and lawn chairs and there will be family fun and entertainment with basketball, horseshoes, cornhole, pickleball, other games and music, along with a 3-point shootout from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Jazz in the Park will be at Avenue A Park from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday.
Saturday kicks off with the Emancipation Day parade headed north on Main Street from Ave. B to 12th Avenue starting at 10 a.m.
"We used to start at 12th and go down," Neal said. "We were the only ones that went backwards. Over the years, since we moved our activities to the college, we changed our parade route. It's still going to be a great parade. We're excited about our Parade Marshall, Geneo Grissom."
Grissom, a former NFL player, will then give an address at Stringer Fine Arts Center at noon on Saturday.
There will be a free community picnic in the Gallery Theatre and on the college lawn at 600 East 11th at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
The annual Emancipation Dance will be Saturday night at the Encampment Building at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Dillon Hall from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Sunday will be the annual Gospelfest and Ice Cream Social at 3 p.m. at the Stringer Fine Arts Center and the Gallery Theatre.
For more information, email [email protected].
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