Donaldsonville, the historic city along the west bank of the Mississippi River that serves as the Ascension Parish seat, will host its 30th annual Juneteenth celebration June 14 in Louisiana Square.
It will be presented by the City of Donaldsonville, Parish of Ascension and CF Industries.
The event celebrates three decades since its inception in 1995 when it was established by former Donaldsonville Mayor the late Bernard “B.J.” Francis Sr. and his wife, the late Janet Ganes Francis.
The City of Donaldsonville and the festival committee have carried on the annual tradition through the efforts of Kathe Hambrick, the River Road African American Museum and many volunteers from the community, organizer Tamiko Francis Garrison said in a news release.
The daughter of Bernard and Janet Francis, she and her daughter, Tamiko Stroud, have worked with committee members to ensure the event is a success every year.
From 2011-2023, Garrison and Stroud, along with Donaldsonville Mayor Leroy Sullivan and Allison B. Hudson, assumed the planning of the festival.
Beginning in 2023, the city announced the addition of new committee members, which included Stroud as co-chair of sponsorships, vendors and graphic design, and Wayne Hamilton as co-chair of food distribution and volunteers.
Juneteenth holiday
Juneteenth commemorates the day when slaves learned of their freedom in the last geographic area in the United States, Garrison said in the announcement.
It occurred June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when Union General Gordon Granger read General Order No. 3, announcing that all slaves were free by proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln.
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by Lincoln on Sept. 22, 1862, and issued on Jan. 1, 1863.
The U.S. Congress enacted and President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in 2021.
The federal holiday is celebrated annually June 19.
2025 Donaldsonville Juneteenth details
Donaldsonville’s celebration begins June 12 with an author talk in partnership with the Ascension Parish Library.
The author, Daniel Brook, will present The Accident of Color: The Story of Race in Reconstruction.
The committee partnered with the Southern University Law Center to offer one free CLE (Continuing Legal Education) at the talk.
The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Wag Center in the Study Commons.
The following day, June 13, the committee partnered with BASF and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank to host a food distribution event for the residents of the city.
This year marks the fourth for BASF, a festival sponsor, offering non-perishable food to the community.
The food distribution will begin at 10 a.m. at the Lemann Memorial Center, while supplies last.
The June 14 event will be held, beginning at 11 a.m. in the park along Railroad Avenue rain or shine, according to organizers.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their families, chairs, blankets and umbrellas to listen to the six bands.
More than 30 vendors are set to participate.
“I was blessed to attend the first Juneteenth celebration in Donaldsonville hosted by the late Mayor ‘B.J.’ Francis and his wife the late Janet Francis, which was held at Crescent Park and only attended by a few family members and friends,” the mayor said in a statement. “Over the years it grew from one day to three days including several high-profile artists, talents shows and Gospel Sundays.”
The festival was reduced to one day with one band in 2011, but over the years, it has built back up and grown in popularity.
“I would like to thank Tamiko Francis Garrison, Tamiko Terraz Stroud and Wayne Hamilton for their continued volunteerism and dedication to making this event a success,” Sullivan continued. “It takes a significant amount of personal time and effort to put together an event such as this. I would also like to thank our city council members, sponsors, partners, vendors, artists, volunteers and anyone who had a hand in making this year’s 30th annual Juneteenth celebration a success.”
The schedule includes:
- Opening ceremony (11 a.m.)
- George Bell and Friends, Baton Rouge (11:15 a.m.-noon)
- Ceremony honoring the oldest African American businesses (noon)
- Total Control Band, New Roads (12:30-1:30 p.m.)
- Crowning of queens (1:30-2 p.m.)
- Esco Soul Music, Baton Rouge (2-3 p.m.)
- RRAAMS (African drum and dance), New Orleans (3-3:30 p.m.)
- Red Tape Musiq, Gonzales (3:30-4:30 p.m.)
- Casa Samba, New Orleans (4:30-5 p.m.)
- Second line for queens and sponsors (5 p.m.)
- Michael Foster Project, Baton Rouge (5-6 p.m.)
- Royal Essence, New Orleans (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
For more information, follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram (@DonaldsonvilleJuneteenth).
Gonzales Weekly Citizen and Donaldsonville Chief, part of the USA Today Network of Louisiana, cover Ascension Parish and the greater Baton Rouge area. Follow at facebook.com/WeeklyCitizen and facebook.com/DonaldsonvilleChief.
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