KENNER, La. — Juneteenth is on Monday and the holiday weekend is already busy.
Saturday night, Rejoice Inc. held its 7th Juneteenth Community Event in Kenner. It is the city's only major Juneteenth event.
It began with an African drum procession led by drum maker and musician Westley Phillips. The procession snaked around the banquet tables and ended at the front of the room with a full performance.
"Drums are very powerful, they call down the spirit," said Phillips.
After that, Reggie Houston took the stage, the first in a stacked lineup of local musicians. Two of them, Kim Philips and Stephanie Martin of New Directions Rhythmic Blues Band, talked to WWL-TV. Philips said he, "loves to come," to the "beautiful," event every year.
"We didn't come to sit down, we came to get down!" Martin said.
The event was founded by Raina Edwards in 2017. Her mother Debra Edwards, who serves as Charity Executive Director of Rejoice Inc., described it as "a chance to bring people together," so they can "share the hope for freedom for everybody."
There is a lot left on the calendar this holiday weekend. The Juneteenth Freedom Gala will be held at the Andre Cailloux Center from 6 to 9 p.m. on Sunday. On Monday, there will be a Juneteenth Festival in Congo Square from noon to 7 p.m. and a parade and ceremony in Covington starting at 10 a.m. at Rev. Peter Atkins Park.
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