FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Ann Barnett [email protected] 330-687-8385

Heather Holmes [email protected] 216-325-0944

CLEVELAND’S FIRST JUNETEENTH FREEDOM FEST ANNOUNCES HEADLINE PERFORMANCES BY GRAMMY AWARD WINNING TALENT, MAINSTAGE ENTERTAINMENT BY KARAMU HOUSE AND A FIREWORKS FINALE BY CL3 ALLIANCE

Residents and visitors who attend the family-friendly Juneteenth festivities will experience a full-day of cultural and educational programming, show-stopping performances, and more on Downtown ’s Mall C

DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND (May 28, 2021)– Cleveland’s first Juneteenth Freedom Fest, produced in partnership with Karamu House, Alliance (DCA) and Ingenuity Cleveland – with the support of , the City of Cleveland, Destination Cleveland, and Partnership – today announces an exciting lineup of headline performances and community partners.

Set to take place on Saturday, June 19 from 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. on Mall C in the heart of Downtown Cleveland, the city-wide, family-friendly celebration and commemoration of Juneteenth will feature headline performances by GRAMMY Award winning performers Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science and Lisa Fischer, and GRAMMY nominated Mumu Fresh; “Freedom on Juneteenth: Songs of Liberation,” a mainstage performance by Karamu House, the country’s oldest Black producing theatre; and a fireworks finale made possible by CL3 Alliance, the , , and .

Festivities will also include the JACK Casino vendor village to spotlight Black businesses and entrepreneurs; community programming and education supported by The Sherwin-Williams Company, The Good Community Foundation and AKA Team Construction; and spoken-word performances, interactive art demonstrations, food trucks, and beverage concessions.

Cleveland’s first Juneteenth Freedom Fest brings together more than 30 organizations who have committed to unite the city after taking the Cleveland Pledge and recognizing racism as a public health crisis nearly one year ago. Sponsors of the community event include Bank of America, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, Dominion Energy, ERIE Bank, Gilbane, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, GrowthOpps, McDonald Hopkins, Medical Mutual of , , PNC, RPM International, and Thompson Hine.

Event supporters are E. F. Boyd & Son Funeral Home, Copy King, Ozanne Construction, 48 Hour Virtual Music Fest, Cleveland State University / Project 400 and Jack Daniel’s.

Additional community partners include the Women of Color Foundation, Step Forward, Urban League of Greater Cleveland, #VoicesofCLE, Inc., and .

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For the most up-to-date information regarding Cleveland’s first annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest, please visit. juneteenthcle.com.

All attendees are required to follow any local health department and CDC guidelines in place throughout the duration of the event.

About Karamu House Founded in 1915, Karamu House is a place of joyful gathering (the meaning of ‘Karamu’ in Swahili) where people from different races, religions, and economic backgrounds come together through the arts. Recognized as the oldest, producing African American theatre in the nation, Karamu House is continually cited as one of Cleveland’s top four treasures – and features in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

About Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s mission is to make Downtown Cleveland the region’s most dynamic place to live, work, play and visit. Our vision is to create a vibrant, diverse, and equitable city center by attracting businesses, residents, and talent; enhancing the pedestrian experience; and securing future investment into Downtown Cleveland through strategic initiatives and advocacy efforts.

About Ingenuity Cleveland Ingenuity Cleveland ignites the creative spark among artists, entrepreneurs and innovators of all types, through joy and collaboration, in service to social progress. Through boundary-pushing events and year- round IngenuityLabs programming, we inspire audiences, uplift urban places, nurture makers and doers, and invite to fire up its imagination!

About Cleveland’s 3-Team Alliance (#CL3Alliance) Unifying Cleveland’s major professional sports teams to create lasting transformational social change in communities across Northeast Ohio.