The best part of the Fort Wayne summer festival scene is the wide array of opportunities to experience culture and traditions outside of your own. 

Traditional celebrations and acknowledgments of cultural milestones lead us to a better understanding of one another’s backgrounds and connections. 

Acknowledgment of the past and celebration for today are what Juneteenth is all about.  

Juneteenth is a federal holiday June 19, marking the day federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to deliver news that slavery was outlawed, although it took two-and-a-half years for the news to reach Texas.

In Fort Wayne, it will be celebrated with a high degree of joy and fun with the Macknificent Freedom Fest at Weisser and McMillen parks on Saturday, June 15.

Celebrating unity

Juneteenth celebrations have a rich history in Fort Wayne, tracing their roots back to the Pontiac Street Festival in the early ’90s. 

Under the guidance of Baba Kweku Akan at the Fort Wayne Parks Department, Juneteenth was officially celebrated at Weisser Park for the first time in 2004. 

The popular annual festival was halted due to the pandemic, but the community quickly rallied to stage a series of coordinated smaller celebrations to continue the tradition. 

The following year, those smaller groups staged a collaborative week of individual celebrations, which were seamlessly transitioned back into a single large annual event in 2021: The Macknificent Freedom Fest.  

This year’s edition kicks off Saturday morning at Weisser Park Youth Center with the Keepers of the Light ceremony, a Rites of Passage Ceremony for those leaders who pledge to be righteous custodians of the celebration. 

Young leaders aged 12-18 work to become Renaissance Leaders, committing to embody the Five Wells of leadership as outlined by former Morehouse College President Robert Michael Franklin Jr.: Well-Read, Well-Spoken, Well-Dressed, Well-Traveled, and Well-Balanced.

Next up is the ALC Promenade, starting at the Weisser Center at 11:30 a.m. sharp and marching up Oxford Street to McMillen Park for the Opening Ceremonies at 1 p.m. This event represents the spine of the community, with nerves reaching out throughout the streets from a strong column.

Participants are encouraged to perform, bring banners, and be seen by the community. All participants must use signage and music that is uplifting, family-friendly, and in the spirit of unity in the community. 

Promenade registration is required at macknificentfreedomfest.com, but attendees can join at the rear behind the Second Line and enjoy the walk along with the party. 

The Rosa Parks Citilink bus will be waiting to return walkers to their cars at Weisser Park. 

At McMillen Park, live entertainment takes the main stage at 1:30 p.m. and runs until 5:30 p.m., featuring We Are CheckMark starting at 4:30 p.m.. From 5:30-6 p.m. there will be a DJ set that you will not want to miss.

This is a complete festival, and there are lots of activities for all families. 

Kickball, a basketball tournament, and flag football will provide plenty of action for participants and attendees. The competitions start at 2 p.m. at McMillen Park.

Developing leaders

Opportunities abound to learn personal histories firsthand with a human library starting at 2 p.m. There will be a Children’s Corner to occupy the little ones. 

Attendees will find tons of information from community organizations and sponsors. The organizers have striven to make Macknificent a festival with true diversity, much more than in any previous Juneteenth celebration.

The Macknificent Fest is led by the Art Leadership Center, under the stewardship of Adrian Curry, whose roots with local Juneteenth celebrations run through his life. 

The ALC celebrates the Five Wells and is designed to “systematically develop Renaissance Scholars and Artists with a Global Conscience.”

“The Renaissance leaders are going to be the ones fulfilling the purpose: connecting the leaders in organizations in serving the community,” Curry said. “We have a focused vision of developing an elite education system, a school that continuously develops these leaders, and they become their own instructors, even. 

“And it’s alongside a global percussion theater. I think that’s really important for the community to know and support and get behind. Because these leaders are our future. This is a small testament of what they can achieve with proper training. We just need to support them.”