Front Royal Community Marks Juneteenth Celebration

Gazebo Ground Zero for Friday’s third annual Juneteenth memorial remembrance and celebration in Front Royal/Warren County. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

Reverend Alfred Woods delivers the Opening Prayer after being introduced by event MC, comedian Howard “G” Gaskins, to the left. Below, Warren-Page County NAACP branch President Gene Kilby has introduced Gospel musical duet Chosen to continue the religiously inspired musical edge of the Juneteenth event. Their chosen song was “Lift Every Voice & Sing”.

The aforementioned MC, comedian “G” — Howard Gaskins — took over the event introductions and playful interludes. Those opening introductions included Front Royal Town Councilman Bruce Rappaport and Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairman Cheryl Cullers, both of whom welcomed participants to this community. “G” may have missed developing some comedic material by not commenting on Culler’s last name, as in What ‘Cullers’ is the board chairman bringing to the Juneteenth celebration?”

Chosen displayed great complementary vocalizations in their performances. ENCORES Chosen!! is this attendee’s verdict on their participation.

Kyra Williams, described as a “Recent Graduate of Skyline High School,” introduced “Educator, Scholar, and Advocate for Education Equity” Ashley Taylor to the assembled. Below, the pair hugged as Taylor approached the dais to trace the origins of the Juneteenth celebration of the liberation of slaves as the American Civil War ground to a conclusion.

Two crowd shots as attendees try to balance proximity to the Juneteenth presentations with exposure to direct sunlight, raising temperatures throughout the noon to 7 p.m. event.

Four event attendees were invited to improvise some dance steps to recorded music, promised to be familiar with by MC “G”. Below, that improvization takes flight.

As crowd members relax, following the invited dance improvization by crowd members, the Hope and Holiness Praise Dancers from Winchester were presented to perform their creative endeavors. Those endeavors looked pretty impressive before they were sabotaged by a malfunctioning recorded sound system.

Near the end our stint at the Juneteenth celebration Lisa Frye Pacemaker & the Ted Trio took the stage to display their soulful musical edge.

A series of shots displaying the Juneteenth message of racial and social equity. First, Black Lives DO Matter, then Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. Unfortunately, it was one during the mid-20th-century Civil Rights Movement that cost him his life. Then a Juneteenth T-shirt available for purchase to carry the message “Believe, Achieve, Succeed” year round. And finally, a happy Juneteenth to us all.