Augusta, GA
Crowds come out for Augusta’s downtown Juneteenth festival
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A few days after the Junenteeth parade, Augusta celebrated the holiday again with a nearly daylong festival Wednesday.
The official holiday is June 19, although the revelry started over the weekend across the CSRA with parades and other gatherings.
The big event in Augusta was Wednesday’s Juneteenth festival in the parking lot of the James Brown Arena.
Hosted by Band of Brothers, it began at 12:30 p.m. and will keep going until 9:00.
Vendors were selling food, clothing and crafts, with a designated kids’ area and lots of music.
“I basically make wreaths and I do other crafts I do cups, T-shirts and different kinds of crafts,” said Loeontyne Jackson with Blessed Creations by Tina.
You can find just about anything at the festival ranging from body care products, clothing, jewelry and fun activities for the kids. But most of all, you’ll find lots and lots of food.
“We have seafood gumbo. We also have oxtail with mac and cheese, cabbage, white rice, green beans. We also have Creole pasta and fried fish,” said Tenisha Weathersby and Angininque Weathersby with Delta Girls Soul Food.
So many options, you’re bound to find something you like such as pasta, meats and even desserts.
“We have a mac and cheese so come out and get some free samples,” said Weathersby.
Other vendors such as Lustful Lemonade, Inc. were also offering a variety of drinks.
“We have different flavored lemonade. You got flirtatious blue, kiss my peach, that’s not my strawberry,” they said.
But it’s also important to remember why everyone is here.
Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, found out they had been freed — after the end of the Civil War, and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
“Texas always celebrated it. Now the whole world is celebrating and we just brought in the whole emancipation, something for our people to realize America is working towards its greatness,” said Carlton Edwards Wilson III, who attended the festival.
And it’s important to remember where we came from.
“Juneteenth is something very important. It’s very important that you know who you are,” he said.
Since it was designated a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has become more universally recognized beyond Black America. Many people get the day off work or school, and there are a plethora of street festivals, fairs, concerts and other events.
Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Georgia gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan campaigned in Augusta ahead of Election Day, making stops at two churches and meeting with local faith leaders.
The former lieutenant governor visited Good Hope Baptist Church on Cedar Street, where he spoke with the Greater Augusta Interfaith Coalition’s “Music to the Polls” group.
Duncan told us that, if elected governor, he wants to expand Medicaid, pass what he called “common-sense gun legislation,” and create more economic opportunities statewide. He also pointed to affordability concerns impacting families and businesses.
“I want to take $1.7 billion of our state’s fund and wrap it around the axle of poverty,” Duncan said, adding that he wants to lower child care costs and improve temporary assistance programs.
Duncan also stopped at Miles Memorial Church on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
NJ apartment dwellers, renters have these options for help with rent
State and local officials say several programs are designed to help low and moderate-income households stay housed in the face of financial distress.
As rent prices continue to strain budgets, a new study is highlighting where Georgians can save the most by splitting housing costs.
According to a report from SmartAsset, some cities in Georgia offer major savings for renters who choose to live with a roommate.
Here’s what to know.
Where can you save the most in Georgia?
The study ranks Augusta as the top city in Georgia for roommate savings, and No. 6 in the country.
Renters there can save about 45% on monthly rent, or roughly $450 per month, by sharing an apartment.
Here’s how the costs compare in Augusta:
- One-bedroom rent: $1,000
- Two-bedroom rent: $1,100
- Estimated monthly savings with a roommate: $450
Why are roommate savings so high?
With rent prices rising, splitting costs has become one of the easiest ways to cut monthly expenses.
The study shows that sharing rent can significantly reduce housing costs, especially in cities where prices have climbed in recent years.
How does Georgia compare to the rest of the country?
Here’s the top 10 cities in the US for saving with a roomate:
- Cleveland, OH
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Memphis, TN
- Boise, ID
- Augusta, GA
- New Haven, CT
- Chattanooga, TN
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Shreveport, LA
Methodology
The study analyzed 100 U.S. cities using rental data from March 2025 to March 2026 from Zumper, comparing one-bedroom rents to half the cost of two-bedroom apartments to estimate savings from sharing with a roommate.
For more information, visit smartasset.com/data-studies/roommate-savings-2026.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Families had the chance to sharpen their money skills at a financial literacy event hosted by local nonprofit Crown Her Mentoring at the Bernie Ward Community Center.
The free event offered resources for all ages, from kids learning the basics to adults planning for their financial future.
Attendees could sit in sessions about budgeting, credit, opening banking accounts and insurance options.
Organizers said the event was designed to make financial education accessible during Financial Literacy Month.
“People need to understand the importance of a checking account, a savings account—how to manage your money. How to invest your money. People need to learn about life insurance,” said Torrecka Davis, organizer.
Crown Her Mentoring will host a mental health awareness event on May 23. Open enrollment for new mentees will begin on May 10.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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