A touch of Ethnic Expo combined with a Juneteenth celebration will kick off the new, four-date Ethnic Expo Event Series June 19 on two blocks of Fourth Street. The free gathering will include four to six food vendors from the African American culture, live music, speakers and comedy, organizers said.
The Columbus Area Visitors Center is working in conjunction with the Columbus/Bartholomew County Area Chapter of the NAACP for Juneteenth. The other scheduled Expo dates are:
Aug 28 — Chinese Expo, in partnership with Columbus Chinese Association.
Sept. 11 — Ganesh Festival of India, in partnership with Columbus Ganesh Mandal.
Oct. 2 — Fiesta Latina, in partnership with Community Education Coalition and Su Casa.
Last year’s downtown Juneteenth was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Same for the Ethnic Expo international festival, normally held the second weekend of October.
Haley Anderson, the center’s downtown community coordinator, said she looks forward to the city working alongside other groups through the summer and fall.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to draw upon the expertise of our four partners to create cultural experiences for each of the events,” Anderson said. “The visitors center team will handle logistical items such as tents, stages, and restrooms, so our partners can concentrate on sharing the artistic aspects of their cultures with the community.”
Each event in the series will include authentic cuisine, entertainment and art experiences curated by each of the four cultural partners.
The Expo adjustment was made amid the current COVID-19 pandemic because city leaders were concerned about the possible crush of some 35,000 festival-goers in early October in a relatively small space along First and Washington streets, where Expo traditionally has been held since soon after it began in 1984. Under the new format, Expo’s spotlight on ethnic diversity can continue in a smaller, safer format for the health of everyone. Plus, dividing an expo into four parts allows for much easier physical distancing.
Also, sponsorships and other revenue sources for community events are more limited this year, so Ethnic Expo is partnering with local groups who produce existing events in an effort to bring added resources to these already established celebrations. Plus, another goal of the series is to bring foot traffic to downtown restaurants and other businesses that have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.
Restaurants will be open during the events and Fourth Street businesses will provide outdoor bar service, according to the visitors center.
Pastor Johnnie Edwards, the local NAACP president, said the teamwork with the visitors center could provide a much-needed boost for Juneteenth, which marks the official end of slavery. The day was first celebrated in 1865, when Texas became the last Confederate state to free its slaves, three years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Edwards, who first heard of Juneteenth as a pre-teen at family reunions, explained how important he feels Juneteenth is for all races, not just Blacks.
“In order for us to be a welcoming community, and in order for us to understand what has taken place in the racial climate of our community, we have to understand some of the history behind it,” Edwards said. “People need to understand why we stand up for racial justice. It’s because of what took place throughout history.
“So if people don’t know where Juneteenth comes from, then they’re probably going to struggle while trying to understand our pain.”
The Ethnic Expo Event Series is presented by the City of Columbus with financial support from First Financial Bank.
