Juneteenth Continues to Grow in Cherryville, NC

12:27 PM EST |June 19, 2025|Mason Beam|Cheery-Ville Column, News Articles, People

By: Mason Beam – Wise News Network

Cherryville, NC (WNN) – Juneteenth may date back to 1865, but celebrating this is a fledgling event that is quickly growing for Cherryville. A committee of three people organizes the event with coordination from the Cherryville Chamber of Commerce. Event organizer Tina Feemster noted that it was heartwarming to see Cherryville host the event because it hadn’t been hosted or talked about in the city before these past few years. Cherryville hosted this event on June 6th, 2025.

Some of the event organizers speaking with the Cherryville City Council. June 6th, 2025 by Mason Beam (WNN)

For those who may wonder what Juneteenth is, it celebrates a historic occasion in 1865. While January 1st, 1863, may have been the date the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. It wasn’t until June 19th, 1865, that the United States fully complied with this law. The last holdout was in Texas, which freed nearly a quarter million people upon signing it into law with General Order No. 3. Speaker Maurice Bush stated, “The year following 1865, freedmen in Texas organized the first Jubilee Day.” This is where the tradition has its roots.

Growing an Event Every Year

A healthy event will experience growth every year. The third annual Juneteenth celebration in Cherryville is showing that growth. Tina Feemster notes, “Since the last three years, we have more people coming out and enjoying the crowd and more vendors.” With this, Feemster suggests that the event is ready to grow out of Cherryville’s Gazebo Mini Park.

The Cherryville Juneteenth Committee. June 6th, 2025 by Mason Beam (WNN)

“Each year, it’s growing and growing and growing, and we need more room for vendors so they can continue to come to the event,” stated Feemster. To accommodate this, the event has had to claim additional space in front of Cherryville’s Chamber of Commerce. In conjunction with a larger space for more vendors, Feemster would also like to see the event later, at a cooler time of day.

Cherryville’s Juneteenth

Upon visiting Cherryville’s Juneteenth celebration one would immediately notice the typical things. The smell of food lingering in the air, craft vendors chatting with customers, and families gathered about enjoying their day. It even hosted attractions for the attending youth with a video game trailer. This provided a fun place for them to cool off.

(Swipe to view vendor photos)

However, your eye will likely be quickly drawn to the speaker area in front of the Gazebo. Throughout the event, powerful messages are displayed through speeches and art forms. The day features worship and other music, dancing, and poetry. This ties back to the holiday’s tradition of being celebrated through community, food, worship, and music.

The Importance of Music, Religion, and Culture to Juneteenth

We spoke with one performer who sang with the New Ellis Chapel out of Shelby, NC, Dontavious Harris. He mentioned that much of the celebration happens through music because, historically, there were very few times they were allowed to speak. Once freedom was granted, the community felt it was essential to let freedom ring. This is the message of one staple event song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” This year, Arya Moyer performed it in an operatic style, with Elisha Mitsche-Lamanna accompanying her.

Arya Moyer performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” with Elisha Mitsche-Lamanna accompanying her. June 6th, 2025 by Mason Beam (WNN)

Many of the celebrations have been held at churches which may have helped add to the importance of gospel music and worship to the event. The opening prayer by Paul Watkins emphasized the importance of thanking God for the emancipation from slavery. “Worship is how you keep those negative entities away,” stated Harris. This brings into view how religion and oneness through it helps one stay mindful of growing together with others and improving oneself.

Dontavious Harris performing with New Ellis Chapel. June 6th, 2025 by Mason Beam (WNN)

“Part of the celebration is a feast, which has been a part of the Juneteenth Celebration since it started when churches were given the opportunity to have picnics.” He mentions that red food has been an integral part of the holiday. One of the customs being to eat red and traditional African foods during the holiday. Foods associated with this include red velvet cake and black-eyed peas with red rice.

Juneteenth’s Message

Speaker Reverend Melvin Clark challenges the public not to let Juneteenth be a simple day of celebration. “Freedom is not free until all of us are free. When one is in bondage, that means all of us are still in bondage,” stated Clark. He wants Juneteenth to be a day of inspiration. Where not only the major injustices such as slavery still existing needing to end, but also other social issues must come to a close. Everyone needs to deal with the social, racial, and educational gaps. Clark hopes for Juneteenth to bring that inspiration to every community.

Reverend Melvin Clark during his speech at Cherryville’s Juneteenth celebration. June 6th, 2025 by Mason Beam (WNN)

His message highlights the importance of each person understanding “that there’s nothing impossible that they cannot reach.” It is important to realize that we are better together than separately. He urges that we focus not on the differences but on the similarities and how we can assist one another in becoming better. It is looking internally and externally at the more complicated things that will allow us to grow harmonious communities and achieve better leadership. Dontavious Harris echoed this message of inclusiveness by saying,

“It’s not just we’ve got to do this to appeal; it’s we’ve gotta do this because it’s the right thing to do, and it feels good if we all can get along and we all can do this thing together, then we can live in a happy place.” claiming that seeing the event here makes him proud to be a Cherryville native.