Mayor’s Message: Father’s Day, Juneteenth, Hastings Flea and Jazz!
Posted on: June 19, 2022 - 2:24pm
Dear everyone,
On this gorgeous day we have much to celebrate!
Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers – for the support and encouragement when times were tough and the smiles and playfulness when times were splendid – we love you and we thank you!
Juneteenth
Today is Juneteenth (also known as “Juneteenth Independence Day,” “Freedom Day” or “Emancipation Day”) – it harkens back to June 19, 1865, about two months after the Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Va. On that day, General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved African Americans that the Civil War had ended and that they were finally free at last. General Granger’s announcement put into effect the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued two and a half years earlier, on Jan. 1, 1863, by President Lincoln. For African Americans (and for us all) it is a time to celebrate how far we have come and to acknowledge how much more we need to do to ensure true freedom and equality for all in our country. As you send Juneteenth greetings to your family and friends, think about what you can do to further the cause of freedom, equality and justice right here in Hastings (for more on the history of Juneteenth see HERE).
Hastings Flea – TODAY: June 19, 10 am to 4 pm
Today, Sunday, June 19, the Hasting Flea (postponed from last week) is in the commuter lot with home goods, vintage collectibles and clothing, artisanal items and more. There will be fun crafter and collectors to visit, and the swap tent will be there, so bring a bag and/or pick up a bag of items for free! The Tiki Food Truck will be there too with burgers and quesadillas, and Matt Turk will be hosting an acoustic jam session and invites any interested musicians to zip down and join in. The Flea will be back again on September 11th.
Juneteenth and Hastings On Jazz – TODAY: June 19, 3 to 5:30 pm
Today, Sunday June 19, will be the second Hastings On Jazz show at the VFW Plaza on Warburton Avenue from 3 to 5:30 pm. Hastings On Jazz (see HERE) is a weekly concert series from the Hastings Jazz Collective – this week the special guest is Valery Ponomarev. Valery is a world famous trumpeter, who was in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers for many years after defecting from Russia, and is a delightful and fascinating person. In celebration of Juneteenth, the jazz collective will pay tribute to many of the founders of modern jazz by performing the music of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis. They invite us all to join them as they honor this rich African American musical tradition; America’s gift to the world. There will be jazz at the VFW every Sunday from June through September. Bring a blanket, a picnic, grab ice-cream from Penny Lick or visit the hot dog stand, and enjoy the show!
See you soon at the VFW for jazz and Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads!
Sincerely,
Nicola Armacost