Lansdowne’s Juneteenth Week showcases creativity and community

By Peg DeGrassa | [email protected] | The Delaware County Daily Times PUBLISHED: June 18, 2025 at 6:15 AM EDT

In a town where just over half of all households identify as Black and where small, independent businesses line the streets, Juneteenth in Lansdowne is more than an anniversary. It’s a weeklong celebration of resilience, innovation and homegrown talent.

Through June 21, the Lansdowne Economic Development Corp. (LEDC), in partnership with local businesses, is presenting Celebrating Black Creativity, a series of hands-on workshops, performances, and community gatherings designed to both honor the past and ignite the future.

Lansdowne’s downtown, long known for its independent-run shops, is undergoing a rapid renaissance of building sales, new businesses, and new beginnings ahead of the reopening of the Lansdowne Theater.

According to LEDC, this Juneteenth Week weaves together heritage, visual art, music, theater, and public ritual into a fabric that mirrors the town’s diversity.

“Our goal is simple: harness the power of art, music, and small business to create inclusive, joyful experiences that reflect and uplift every voice in Lansdowne,” explained LEDC Director Clare Finin.

Highlights of the week-long celebration include:

• Karaoke and Cupcakes at Kia’s Cakes, noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 18.

• Satin Bonnets Sewing Class at Utility Works, 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 18. Led by Rashida Osbourne of Lansdowne-based Fashions by Shida, this workshop will teach a centuries-old tradition of protective styling through sewing.

• Sip Sisters Cocktail Experience at Utility Works, 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, June 19, where mixology meets storytelling.

• Black Magic Woman Productions, “Juneteenth: A Day of Jubilee” at the 20*20 House, 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 19, an interactive historical pageant.

• Blues with Joe Becton at Jamey’s House of Music, 8 p.m. Thursday, June 19, featuring a blind bluesman whose songs echo both sorrow and triumph.

• Head-Wrapping Workshop at Utility Works, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 20, Netfah Amina-Afia leads a hands-on primer in creating vibrant, protective headwear.

• A grand finale to the week will be held Saturday, June 21, with a Juneteenth Market and Block Party at Veterans Landing, 30 N. Lansdowne Ave.

The vibrant, family-friendly finale will feature 46 local businesses, a community mural art-making project, food vendors, a misting station, a moon bounce, kids’ activities, and a full day of live music and DJs. The weekly farmers market will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with vendors sharing farm-fresh produce alongside a curated roster of Black-owned artisans and food entrepreneurs. From 9 to 11:45 a.m., opening drumming by Africa Rocks will be followed by a ceremony from noon to 1 p.m. at the Veterans Landing Memorial. Community leaders including Mayor Magda Byrne, state Sen. Tim Kearney, state Rep. Gina Curry, Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor, Lansdowne Borough Council members, and Little Miss Juneteenth Maliha Simmons will gather for a flag-raising ceremony, historical reflections, and the singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by the Liberty Worship Choir, and benediction by Pastor Joe Bowman from Liberty Worship Christian Center. Guests are then treated to red velvet cake and hibiscus tea.

Black Magic Woman Productions will present "Juneteenth: A Day of Jubilee" at the 20*20 House, 20 Lansdowne Court, Lansdowne, 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 19, as part of Lansdowne's week of Juneteenth activities. (COURTESY OF LEDC)
Black Magic Woman Productions will present “Juneteenth: A Day of Jubilee” at the 20*20 House, 20 Lansdowne Court, Lansdowne, 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 19, as part of Lansdowne’s week of Juneteenth activities. (COURTESY OF LEDC)

From 1 to 3 p.m., with farmers market stalls cleared, the block transforms into a vibrant party, with DJ-provided songs, line-dancing tutorials and kids’ creative stations.

“We raise the Juneteenth flag to honor our diverse community and to recognize the long history of Black contributions to Lansdowne’s creative and business spirit,” Byrne said.

As part of the Juneteenth Market and Block Party, there will also be a Community Mural Make-In, led by artist Keyonna Butler on-site. This inaugural public art project, organized by the LEDC’s Art Committee, will engage the community in depicting what Lansdowne means to them.

The completed mural will be installed across the street on the Dollar Tree facade at 39 N. Lansdowne Ave., where there has been a boarded-up window for over 20 years.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., attendees are invited to visit the mural station to share their stories about what makes Lansdowne home, brainstorm design ideas with Keyonna and their neighbors, and paint their own 10-inch by 10-inch panel.

LEDC is a nonprofit dedicated to fostering Lansdowne’s economic vitality, creative economy and inclusive growth.

Through cultural events, public art, business support, and community engagement, LEDC creates the conditions for a thriving, welcoming Lansdowne for all. For more information, go to www.LansdownesFuture.org.