The Archwood Exchange Buy Black Marketplace and Desert Botanical Garden are partnering for the first ever Juneteenth Evening Festival, Friday, June 16, 2023, from 6-9 p.m. The family-friendly event will celebrate Black culture and excellence through storytelling, history, art, performance, community discussion and entrepreneurship.
The Juneteenth Evening Festival spotlights the African American experience with the Archwood Exchange marketplace of Black-owned cultural goods, music performances, dance, food trucks, a live painting experience, and more interactive activities.
“We are honored to partner with the Desert Botanical Garden to highlight and continue to give exposure to Black businesses at the Buy Black Marketplace,” said Ali Nervis, Archwood Exchange Co-Founder. “Our mission is to help tell the true history of Juneteenth by supporting this educational and social engagement. It is in our hearts to carry on the legacy of entrepreneurship as a direct pipeline to financial freedom in the Black community.”
At the event, guests can engage in an evening filled with shopping and live music that celebrates Black businesses and culture in Phoenix. The festival will also feature Black food trucks offering cuisine from across the African diaspora as well as an opportunity to explore the Desert Botanical Garden trails.
“The Garden is committed to its IDEA initiatives in making the Desert Botanical Garden a welcoming place for all,” said Kevina Devereaux Senior Director, Social Responsibility and Inclusion. “We are proud to honor and celebrate Juneteenth with in-person and virtual events in collaboration with Archwood Exchange.”
Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of chattel slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, tens of thousands of enslaved Americans in Texas were emancipated, more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Initially a Texas state holiday, Juneteenth became a federally recognized holiday on June 17, 2021, and is observed on June 19.
“By participating in this and many other events, we hope to be a catalyst for the continued growth of entrepreneurship within the Black community,” said Henry Dickerson, Archwood Exchange Co-Founder. “Our mission is to be the go-to organization when it comes to helping Black-owned businesses get off the ground. The Juneteenth Evening Festival is just another opportunity for us to profile Valley businesses who are making a difference in the community.”
Admittance to the Archwood Exchange Juneteenth event at the Desert Botanical Gardens is included with Gardens admission available at the gates or online here.
