What: 12th Annual Juneteenth Bash and Car Show
When: 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Spudder Park, 600 11th St.
Admission: Free
Information: (940) 642-3990
Juneteenth Independence Day annually marks the date that slavery was abolished in Texas in 1865.
Crystal Washington-Pope founded the Juneteenth Bash and Car Show in Wichita Falls 12 years ago as a way to celebrate freedom. At the time, she created the event, she said, “A lot of people don’t know about Juneteenth, and it wasn’t being celebrated in Wichita Falls in a major way.
“Now, people come from all over - Electra, Monday, Haskell - to be part of it. Last year we had over 1,000 people come out,” she said.
The 12th Annual Juneteenth Bash and Car Show will run from 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Spudder Park. There will be all sorts of free food and fun activities, she said, along with an ongoing kick ball game, a car show and a car stereo contest.
“We want people from everywhere to come. Downtown is thriving and booming, so when they’re coming to Farmer Market, just cross the tracks. We are welcoming people to come and chill out with us and experience culture.”
The event continues to grow, she said with more and more businesses and sponsors becoming involved.
Washington-Pope is the founder of C.H.A.R.M., a group for 13 to 18-year-old girls that emphasizes Character, Health, Awareness, Responsibility and Maturity C.H.A.R.M. is one of the two main hosts for the event, and they do it, she said, to give back to the community.
The Responsibility (part of C.H.A.R.M.) is making your community aware of your culture. We want to everyone to know it’s a diverse event. The idea is to reach out to the community and beyond.”
Washington-Pope founded C.H.A.R.M. from her early experiences at the Youth Opportunities Center. “The idea is to become aware of things going on around you and make your community better.”
The other main host for the event, she said, is Color940.com, a local media broadcasting company and online radio station that is celebrating its second anniversary this month. “They do music, local events and advertising and have over a 100,00 listener base from New Hampshire to New Zealand.”
There will be a free Texas backyard shrimp boil for guests, made by a chef from Dallas, she said. “There will be shrimp and sausage and it’s really good. There will also be water and soft drinks.
People can also make donations to a vendor from Oklahoma City for snow cones, hotdogs and nachos.
Also for the kids, there will be water slides and bounce houses.
A kickball game will start at 6 p.m., where games will last 7 innings or 50 minutes, whichever is first. Each side is 9 on a team, and anyone can ask to play and be substituted onto a side.
Music will include gospel, jazz and rap and will be played by DJ’s such as DJ GMD, DJ SICCWITIT, DJ COOP D. There will also be a live gospel performer, she said.
At 5:30 p.m. Marcus Epps (DJ Nite) will preside over a balloon release in memory of his brother Cory Epps.
The car show is free to enter and trophies will be awarded. “There should be at least 12 car clubs there, and it’s open to community.”
For this year, they are adding a sound competition. Everyone who enters, she said, brings their own car, and it will be determined whose speakers are louder.
“Everyone plays the same music, and judges will professionally measure the decibels to see who has the loudest stereo. I hope no one blows a speaker,” she said with a laugh.
Entry fee is a $10 donation and prize is a pair of Rockford Fossgate speakers
District 2 City Councilor Deandra Chenault will say some words during the event, and there will be words of encouragement spoken throughout the day, she said.