COLUMBIA − Community members celebrated Juneteenth throughout Columbia over the weekend and on Monday. Although many events saw solid turnouts, residents believe the city’s celebrations could continue to grow.
The city of Columbia hosted a variety of events to celebrate Juneteenth, including the Village of Columbia’s fourth annual celebration at Cosmo Park. Residents enjoyed everything from food to drinks, to dancing and artwork at the park.
Raymond Gray, one of the Village’s founding members, said there were about 30 vendors for attendees to visit. He said there was something for everyone to enjoy.
“Literally whatever you like, you can find it here,” Gray said.
The celebration ran from noon to 6 p.m., which Gray claimed was longer than last year’s event. He said being able to celebrate the holiday is incredibly important for the community.
“To be able to openly celebrate something that represents us after adopting many other cultures, that’s a beautiful thing to be able to bask in your own culture and celebrate your own heritage,” Gray said.
Those at the event also agreed that celebrating Juneteenth is vital. According to D’Markus Thomas-Drown, who attended this year’s celebration at Cosmo Park, the day gives a chance for everyone in the community can rally around.
“It’s not just a holiday for the Black community to celebrate, it’s a holiday for all of us to celebrate,” Thomas-Drown said.
Thomas-Drown said he felt supported by the community who was there. This included Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, who gave the event’s closing speech Monday night.
Great turnout this weekend for #Juneteenth in Columbia. Just read my Proclamation for Juneteenth Celebration Day at Cosmo Park. Thank you to all the many organizations that came together and the people who showed up for our beloved community. #LoveWhereYouLive #ServeWhereYouLove pic.twitter.com/Rewmo55f24
— Mayor Barbara Buffaloe (@BarbaraBuffaloe) June 19, 2023
However, others at the event claimed they would have liked to see support from all groups in the community. Brandi Ann Harris, who owns Culture Salon Suits and had a booth at the event, said she wished there was more diversity.
“It’s quite a bit [of support] from our neighborhoods and stuff like that, but I don’t see a lot of diversity,” Harris said.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
She said Monday felt like any other day in Columbia.
“I just felt like it was a little dry today,” Harris said. “I couldn’t even recognize when I was going downtown to the salon, any vibe of June 19.”
For one event-goer and his wife, Femi and Juliette Ogungbabe, the day provides an opportunity for everyone to come together.
“Let’s put the past in the past and just celebrate,” Juliette Ogungbabe said. “Just cooperate with each other—not just Black, but white, everybody−all color, all race, all genders.”
According to some at the event, although they have seen more people begin to celebrate Juneteenth, there is still room for the holiday to grow. The celebration is relatively new, as President Joe Biden declared Juneteenth a national holiday in 2021.
In order to continue to grow Juneteenth celebrations in Columbia in the years to come, Gray believes all businesses should give their employees the day off.
“We should be allowed to celebrate openly just the same way we do any other holiday,” Gray said. “It just makes it appear that this holiday doesn’t seem as important.”
Additionally, Gray said for the Village’s event specifically to grow, funding is a significant factor. Currently the group pays for the celebration entirely on its own.
“If we had a positive funding, we could do a lot more,” Gray said. “We could provide a lot more for the people if we had that proper funding.”
Others in the community pointed out the importance of marketing Juneteenth events to residents. They claimed spreading the word around Columbia could increase participation.
“Creating awareness and letting people know the importance, the significance of it,” Femi Ogungbabe said. “Have people know that this event is for everyone.”