Live Music & Performances Planned For Juneteenth Celebration In Somerville
The Somerset County Board of County Commissioners will hold its second annual Juneteenth Celebration on Thursday, June 16.
The event will start at 6 p.m. on the steps of the Somerset County Historic Courthouse, located at 20 North Bridge St., Somerville. It will be held rain or shine.
“We invite people to come out and join us on June 16 for an evening of history, community, and family fun. Be sure to bring a blanket or lawn chair so you’re comfortable during the program,” said Commissioner Director Shanel Y. Robinson in a press release. “By celebrating Juneteenth, we acknowledge our past while keeping an eye towards our shared future. Accepting our country’s history doesn’t mean we are stuck in the past. We as a community are smarter and more resilient when we take advantage of our diversity and work together to build a better future.”
Live performances will feature international soprano Sonya Headlam performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and the Jonathan Ware Quartet premiering selections from “Talking Suite.”
Additional entertainment will include poetry performances by Olivia Altidor and Ssanyu Lukoma, and the premiere of an original Juneteenth dramatic skit, titled “To Be Free,” written by playwright Ryan Kilpatrick and performed by local Somerset County youth.
Speakers will include Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Commissioner Director Shanel Robinson, and Mayor Dennis Sullivan.