Amherst area events include Juneteenth celebration and summer programs
The Pioneer Valley area is hosting Juneteenth celebrations, library programs, concerts, and community workshops throughout late June.
The Amherst area has multiple events scheduled for late June, ranging from cultural celebrations to academic discussions and community gatherings.
The Black Business Association of Amherst Area and Sankofa Gumbo will host the 17th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee on Friday, June 19, from 3 to 6 p.m. at St. Brigid's Parish Auditorium. The free event will feature a community meal, spoken word open mic, photo booth, vendor marketplace, fashion show, and performances by the Amherst Area Gospel Choir, Pumoja Drum & Dance, and Afri(k)que Fashion Show. State Rep. Mindy Domb will offer remarks, and Dr. Amilcar Shabazz will deliver the keynote. The event marks the 10th anniversary of BBAAA and will include a reading of Frederick Douglass by Mass Humanities. Kathleen Anderson will receive the Extraordinary Leadership Award and Charles Walker-Hoover will receive the Youth Excellence Award. Donations will be accepted for Black survivors of the Hadley fire.
The Amherst libraries will kick off summer reading programs on Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to noon at Munson Memorial Hall at the South Amherst Library. Programs for children ages zero to ten run through August 8, while teen and adult programs run through August 22. The Nields will perform at the event.
On Saturday, June 20, the Queer Joy Chorus will perform "Songs of Joy and Resistance" at Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity in Florence from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring both the adult chorus and the Rhythm and Radiance Kids' Chorus. Tickets are $10 to $35 on a sliding scale.
UMass Amherst will host solstice observances on Sunday, June 21, at the Sunwheel on Rocky Hill Road. A sunrise gathering will begin at 5 a.m., shortly before sunrise at 5:13 a.m., and an evening gathering will begin at 7:30 p.m., about an hour before sunset at 8:30 p.m. Astronomer Grant Wilson will discuss the astronomical causes of seasonal changes.
On Monday, June 22, Environment Massachusetts will release a renewable energy dashboard at the Town Common at 10 a.m., highlighting clean energy technologies in Massachusetts and Amherst's clean energy record. Stephanie Ciccarello, the Town of Amherst's Director of Sustainability, and Councilor Lynn Griesemer are among the local speakers scheduled.
State Rep. Mindy Domb will hold office hours on Tuesday, June 23, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Amherst Survival Center, and again on Friday, June 26, from 4 to 5 p.m. at Town Hall.
On Wednesday, June 24, author and horticulturist Tovah Martin will discuss pollinator-friendly gardens at Munson Library at 12:30 p.m., presented by the Garden Club of Amherst. The $5 fee supports scholarships for UMass students.