Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - One of the oldest Juneteenth celebrations in the nation is set to take place this weekend, as Buffalo will be hosting its 50th Juneteenth Festival on Saturday and Sunday at Martin Luther King Jr. Park on the city's East Side.
However, after numerous fights among teenagers were reported during the celebration last year, organizers and local leaders went to work to not only increase safety for all festivalgoers, but provide something for the youth of the city to do over the course of the weekend.
This was a main focal point for Masten District Councilwoman and Council President Pro Tempore Zeneta Everhart shortly after last year's festival, to make sure teens are provided a space within the festival to actively take part.
"When young people, historically, come to the Juneteenth Festival, they really just hang out, because there is no actual activity for them to participate in. So last year, I made the announcement about some sort of, 'What are we doing with these kids? What are we going to provide for them?' Are we going to create a space where they have something to do, where they can learn about Juneteenth, where they have their own personal activities that they can participate in?" said Everhart with WBEN on Thursday.
What will that space for young people consist of at this year's festival?
"There will be gaming trucks out there, there's going to be all types of things happening for our young people to participate in this year. Now they have something to do," Everhart said.
"If they're just hanging out doing nothing, of course, they're going to get into a little trouble. That's what teenagers do, we've all been teenagers at one time or another. But we have to make sure we're providing those resources, making sure that families know that there are resources for them at the Juneteenth Festival, and throughout the summer months."
Part of the process for Everhart to figure out what was best for the teens of the community to include at the Juneteenth Festival was going out and meeting with the city's youth.
"I met with those young people and I talked to them about their responsibility to this community. But what it's going to take is more credible messengers, like myself, getting out there and talking to these young people, letting them know there are things out there for them to do," Everhart said. "We can assist them wherever we can, and that's really what it's about. It's about building community, letting young people feel heard and feel seen, but also giving them the resources they need to be successful."
Everhart adds volunteers will be around throughout the festival to help guide the youth to have things to do.
"There's a lot for them to do, we're excited to have them," she said. "They're going to have a good time. The Juneteenth Festival put a lot of work into making sure there were resources for our young people, and so we really want our families to come out and enjoy those things they put together for them."
There will also be a restriction for unaccompanied teenagers to gain entry to this year's festival.
"We have to actually provide something for them to do" - Zeneta Everhart
"We have to actually provide something for them to do" - Zeneta Everhart
