City of Goshen to host Juneteenth celebration

GOSHEN, Ind. -- The city of Goshen Community Relations Commission will be hosting a Juneteenth celebration at Shanklin Park on Sunday, both to commemorate the end of slavery as well as educate and bond as a community.

Celebrations go from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., and will feature food vendors, performers and regional artisans.

Educational opportunities include a free two-hour public workshop on personal finance from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. prior to the festivities, an open community-member-driven discussion on reparations and a presentation on urban forestry by the Department of Environmental Resilience.

Goshen adopted Juneteenth as a local holiday in 2021, the same year that it was observed as a federal holiday via majority decision from the US House of Representatives and the US Senate.

AJ Delgadillo, Goshen’s Community Relations Director, is hoping that the showcasing of local artisans will remind attendee’s about how rich the community’s culture and diversity can be when all are empowered to succeed.

“I’m excited for the celebration on Sunday, but I’m also excited to see local artisans’ step into the spotlight,” said Delgadillo.

City officials are looking for attendees to reflect on the past, but also take a step forward by putting words to action through empowerment.

“As a community we can say we’re welcoming but it means a lot more when we have a way to recognize the contributions of our neighbors—especially our historically excluded neighbors. It’s worth our time to say ‘I’m glad for all my neighbors and I’m excited to build the future of our community together,” said Delgadillo.