Celebrate Annapolis Juneteenth Festival Canceled Amid Environmental Concerns, Organizers Say

Organizers of the Celebrate Annapolis Juneteenth Festival have announced the cancellation of this year’s festival, citing environmental concerns at the event property and what they described as insufficient support from the City of Annapolis.

In a public announcement, organizers stated that the event was canceled “due to environmental concerns on the property,” adding that they would “not put anyone in harm’s way.” “To protect the longevity and sustainability of the festival, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s event,” the statement read.

Festival organizers also expressed frustration over what they described as a last-minute notification regarding environmental toxins connected to the event site.

“It is disappointing that we have to make this decision but the city of Annapolis does not have the capacity to undergird this event,” organizers said in an additional statement. “Hopefully they will engage us for the future if they really want this festival to return home.”

The statement further noted that the timing of the notice made it impossible to safely and successfully move forward with the event. “A last minute notice about environmental toxins does not allow us to navigate a successful and safe event,” organizers stated.

Despite the cancellation of the festival itself, organizers are encouraging community members to continue supporting other Juneteenth-related events taking place throughout the week, including the Gala on June 18, Carr’s Beach Day sponsored by the City of Annapolis on June 19, and the Juneteenth parade scheduled for June 20.

Organizers also emphasized the scale and impact the festival has had on the city over the years.

“Our festival has brought more than 60K people to Annapolis over the 5 years,” the statement said. “This is not a small venture and neither should it be regarded as such.”

Additional updates regarding future events and developments are expected to be shared by organizers in the coming days.

For more information, organizers encouraged the public to contact them at info@theannapolisjuneteenth.org.