Communities across metro Atlanta are hosting Juneteenth festivals, performances, markets and family-friendly events over the next several days. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. The holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when Texas learned that slavery had ended and the last of the enslaved people were to be freed.

Historian Henry Louis Gates has estimated there were about 250,000 freed in the state of Texas. 

Below are some of the events taking place around metro Atlanta.

Sandy Springs

The city’s annual Juneteenth celebration will be held from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at City Springs. The event will feature live performances, art exhibits, artisan vendors, food trucks and more.

Roswell

Roswell will host an artisan market honoring Juneteenth at 1 p.m. Friday in the lobby of the Roswell Cultural Arts Center.

According to a city statement, “This is your opportunity to meet the creators behind the work, hear their stories firsthand, and take a piece of the experience home. Artists will have additional prints and affordable original pieces available for purchase, making this a wonderful chance to invest in and celebrate the work of African American artists in our community.”

Gwinnett

Several Juneteenth events are planned throughout Gwinnett County.

In Norcross, cellist Okorie “OkCello” Johnson and the Wonders of Worship Youth Choir from Hopewell Baptist Church will perform at the Cultural Arts and Community Center at 11 a.m. Friday.

In Lilburn, the GAPS Society, representing Georgia Autism Parental Support, will host food, games and activities for all ages from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at J.B. Williams Park.

The United Ebony Society will celebrate Juneteenth on Saturday at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds with a festival featuring music, games and food from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Black Women’s Association of Sugar Hill will host its seventh annual Juneteenth event with the Miss Juneteenth pageant, music, food, games, and a scholarship award. The festivities will take place from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 5039 W. Broad Street.

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With Pride Month underway and Juneteenth celebrations approaching, we hit the Southside Beltline Trail in Grant Park to ask Atlantans how they plan to celebrate. From Pride events in Piedmont Park to Juneteenth gatherings across the city, residents shared their plans, reflected on the meaning of freedom and community, and even named their picks for a Pride parade grand marshal. Here’s what they had to say.

Music producers are often called the architects of sound. They build harmonies, arrange vocals, and bend instrumentation and beats in a way that elicits emotion and transforms the tracks we hear today. Without them, our feet wouldn’t tap, our heads wouldn’t bob, and our waists wouldn’t whine. In Atlanta, where Black music thrives, the most impactful producers have been born, bred, and celebrated.

Black Music Month in June celebrates the cultural contributions of Black musicians in every genre, from rock and pop to blues and hip-hop. Atlanta-born and based producers Sean Garrett, Zaytoven, and ATL Jacob were honored in Atlanta with a dinner celebrating their contributions to the music industry. 

The table was set, with a family-style dinner menu and dim lighting at the Asian-fusion restaurant LoKee. Jacob Canady, known as ATL Jacob, was the first to arrive at the honoree dinner in June. Canady has been called the leader of the next generation and is known for his Grammy-nominated work with Atlanta rapper Future, most notably the song “Wait for U.” Jacob told The Atlanta Voice that culture is key to preserving elements of hip-hop while elevating it. 

“Everything starts from the culture and goes into the music. It might be the people, the places you go,” Canady said.

Xavier Dotson, known professionally as Zaytoven, has been pivotal to the sounds of modern hip-hop, ushering in an era where Gucci Mane’s “Icy” Migos’ “Versace,”, and Future’s “Beast Mode” mixtape have become the blueprint of Atlanta trap.

Canady was later joined by Grammy-nominated and veteran producer Garrett Hamler, known professionally as Sean Garrett. Dubbed “the pen,” Garrett is a songwriting and producing wizard, with over 50 number-one records and 100 million copies sold globally, shaping the sounds of genres like crunk music and artists such as Beyoncé, Ciara, Usher, and Chris Brown, to name a few. 

Together, the three of them paint a historic picture of R&B and hip-hop music throughout the years, showcasing how the creativity of producers keeps the soul of music fresh and alive. 

“I want to be remembered for my innovation. Like, ‘Oh yeah, he always had an open mind, he was innovative, he did different stuff with different genres and tried new things,” Canady said.

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