(Union City, Tennessee, June 7, 2023) — The Weakley County Reconciliation Project (WCRP) and Discovery Park of America in Union City, Tennessee are co-hosting a free Juneteenth celebration at Discovery Park on Saturday, June 17, 2023, from 3-7 p.m. Entrance for the free event will be through the Train Depot gate in the lower south parking lot.

Families from throughout the region will gather for an afternoon of food, fellowship and fun with a focus on the celebration of Black American freedom. More than 15 Black-owned, small-business vendors and local food trucks will be on hand, and a variety of activities are planned for all ages.

Entertainment on Discovery Park’s new Total Tech Solutions stage will be provided by artists such as saxophonist J-Wes Walker Crossfire Music of Covington, Moe Hayslett, also of Covington, and Jalen Ware of TRuSTORY Worship. Ripley native and Memphis resident, Katrina Anderson, will be the headline performer. Jessica Currie of J Poetry will bring some powerful prose to the event, while Craig Clay of Lake County will provide the keynote address.

In addition to the afternoon’s Juneteenth program, Discovery Park has put together a slate of speakers and activities for visitors to the museum earlier in the day with the theme “Looking Back, Moving Forward: The History of Juneteenth and Why We Celebrate Today.”

At 11 a.m. in the Tennessee Room, Lane College’s vice president for academic affairs, Rev. Daryll Coleman, will provide a keynote address. Following Rev. Coleman will be vocalist Brenda Davis accompanied by Kaye Hillsman with an educational performance highlighting the origins of spirituals, religious songs associated with Black Christians primarily in the South. A traditional “Jubilee Feast,” an array of foods with cultural significance dating back hundreds of years, will also be on display for visitors. Guest readers from Discovery Park will gather at 1:30 p.m. in the Tennessee Room for a children’s story time where they will read four books about Juneteenth aloud.

Discovery Park’s activities in the museum are included with park admission or membership, while the afternoon’s Juneteenth program is provided for free.

Discovery Park of America is located at 830 Everett Blvd. in Union City. For more information, visit the Weakley County Reconciliation Project on Facebook or the calendar at discoveryparkofamerica.com.

About Weakley County Reconciliation Project

The Weakley County Reconciliation Project is a diverse, nonpartisan group of Weakley County community members seeking to engage other members and organizations in an open dialogue on matters of race, racism and social injustice in Weakley County, Tennessee. For more information, visit WeakleyReconciliation.com.

About Discovery Park of America

The mission of Discovery Park of America, a premier world-class museum and 50-acre heritage park located in Union City, Tennessee, is to inspire children and adults to see beyond. Included is a 100,000-square-foot museum featuring nine interactive exhibit galleries with additional space for temporary exhibits from around the world and a 50-acre heritage park. Discovery Park of America is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations including its principal funder, the Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation. For more information, visit DiscoveryParkofAmerica.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.