The sidewalks in front of the Debartolo Performing Arts Center were filled with colorful tents and food Friday afternoon for an early Juneteenth celebration.
The tents were full of local nonprofits and vendors for the event, which doubled as a resource fair to help celebrate June 19th, Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in the U.S.
The performing arts center’s executive director Ted Baron said this is the second year Debartolo has put on a show for Junetenth after the community showed an interest.
“We launched it last year kind of with very low expectations, just to see who might show up for it,” Baron said. “And we had a phenomenal response.”
Chrischon Ellis was one of the many African-American business owners on hand Friday with her skincare company Chris 76. Ellis lives in Elkhart and she saw the fair as a great way to celebrate Juneteenth and the unity the day represents.
“It’s a great opportunity to be able to share something with the community that we otherwise would not be able to,” said Ellis. She said she started he skincare line marketing it solely to the Black community but she soon realized she enjoyed meeting all different types of people.
Those on campus Friday perused through the line of tents to shop and many made their way all the way to the sidewalks end where a series of food trucks were set up.
There will also be Juneteenth celebrations in Elkhart at Roosevelt Park next Wednesday and at LaSalle Park in South Bend Saturday June 22.
