Atascadero Juneteenth celebration is today at Colony Park
Family-friendly event will include roller skating, food trucks, music
– Atascadero’s first Juneteenth celebration joins together with SLO Roll for a free family event on Saturday, June 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Colony Park, 5599 Traffic Way. The two events, Atascadero Juneteenth, organized by long-time Atascadero resident Zenovia Cooks, and The SLO Roll Community Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting the community through roller culture and physical activity, come together for a night of free skating, DJ Brotha C, Paradise Shaved Ice, local vendors and information about Juneteenth.
“Celebrating Juneteenth is relevant because it serves as reminder of what Blacks/African Americans have survived — came through — and what we as a whole can achieve,” Cooks said. “It’s important that we as a whole know our history. History serves as a reminder of how far we have come and how far we still need to go.”
The event starts with an all skate from 5 to 7 p.m. and an adult hour from 7 to 8 p.m. As part of SLORoll’s new Everyone Rolls program, skates will be available to rent for a donation. Proceeds from the donation-based program will go toward resurfacing the Paulding Rink in Arroyo Grande and to bring other safe skate spaces to SLO County communities. The skate rental booth will open at 4:30 p.m. and all other activities will begin at 5 p.m.
“People can expect to roller skate, there will be games for children/adults, local businesses and artists,” Cooks said
To find out more, search “SLO Roll” or “Atascadero Juneteenth” on Facebook.
About Juneteenth
Juneteenth (June 19) is the day the Blacks/African Americans were emancipated from Slavery. June 19 is the day federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure all enslaved people be freed.
