Albany, Dougherty Co. planning ahead for Juneteenth celebrations

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Summer is slowly but surely approaching and plans for some of those summer celebrations may come sooner than you think. Especially for one particular celebration in Dougherty County.

This year’s Juneteenth celebration theme is “Journey to Juneteenth.” And it’ll be a series of events leading up to the big Juneteenth celebration.

This year, both the City of Albany and Dougherty County will join forces to educate the community on the history of Juneteenth.

“It was an honor and a privilege to be a part of providing that program for the community last year,” Michael McCoy, county administrator, said. “And the city and the county joined together this year to provide that program. And it will start in April through June. An activity each month leading up to the Juneteenth celebration.”

Officials said educating people on major historic events is high on their list.

“Most people that are from Texas are very familiar with the holiday, as well as other parts of the country,” McCoy said. “But last year when it was turned into a federal holiday then everyone became familiar or at least introduced to Juneteenth and what happened in 1865. So it’s very, very important to continue educating the public on the event that occurred in 186 in Galveston, Texas.”

People can expect an even bigger celebration than in years past.

“We’re going to have entertainment, prizes, games, a bouncy house. It’s going to be a day of fun,” Recreations Supervisor for Special Events,” Tee Taylor, recreations supervisor, said. “It’s going to be a day for surrounding counties. We’re inviting everybody to come in and see what Albany has to offer.”

There will be different events each month leading up to the major Juneteenth celebration.

“Our first one is going to be the 5K run. And that’s the Freedom Run,” Taylor said. “And we’re looking forward to that. That’s going to be April 29 at the Albany Civic Center at the Amphitheater. So we’re looking forward to family, the kids, everyone to come out and just have a good time.”

Many of these events will come with a learning lesson.

“With slavery, there was a mold of how people, men and women traveled. And it was through running, walking,” Steven Belk, Albany Parks and Recreation director, said. “So I think it’s fitting when we start with the marathon. Because we had to run quite a distance to seek freedom.”

There will also be events in May.

“With the month of May comes the different Malcolm X showings of movies that depict some of the challenges all of us have gone through,” Belk said. “And because even though this is Juneteenth, the end of slavery, we want to educate people about what transpired and what occurred.”

The final celebration for Juneteenth will be on June 17. There will be food trucks, entertainment, vendors, a bouncy house and more.

Taylor said their goal is to make the Juneteenth celebrations better each year. And that they’re inviting other counties and anyone else who’d like to come to the celebration.

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