Juneteenth Celebration 2025!

The Middletown Art Center (MAC) is honored to invite the public to the 5th annual Juneteenth celebration at MAC on Thursday June 19th from 6-9pm. The event will feature storytelling and live music around the theme "What Juneteenth Means in 2025". Delicious food by Barbeque Biasotti, and beverages will be available for purchase.

The 5th annual Juneteenth celebration is free and open to the public and will be an indoor/outdoor event beginning in the gallery. Doors open at 5:45 pm. 
The evening’s conversation in the gallery will be moderated by Randall Cole, substance abuse counselor, member of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission, and author of "Felonies Before Birth".  Distinguished guest speakers include Voris Brumfield, former District 1  County Supervisor and former pastor at Middletown Community United Methodist Church, Aqeela Markowski and Lynette LeFleche, co-hosts of KPFZ radio's "Women's Voices"; Community leader Delores Farrell; Alan Sampson M.D.

​Clovice Lewis, a highly respected Unitarian Universalist Minister, Social Activist, and Musician who was instrumental in the first Juneteenth Celebration at MAC in 2020 will offer opening remarks. Victor Hall, a musician, educator and drum circle facilitator will join Lewis to play Jazz classics. They, with the other speakers, will be setting the tone for a meaningful and thought-provoking evening of celebration and remembrance.
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After the conversation and musical performance, there will be R&B music with DJ Nick Hay and food and beverages for purchase outdoors. Across the street Martin Pohl Organic & Biodynamic Wines will feature the first Thirsty Thursday event in the tasting room with live music by Shawn SanNicolas and food from Terped Out Kitchen—a collaboration with Middletown Area Merchants Association.  

​Juneteenth and Thirsty Thursday events in Middletown are an excellent opportunity for community members to come together to hear stories, enjoy music, food, and beverages, and celebrate!

Learn more about the cultural and historical background of Juneteenth

Lake County's first public celebration of Juneteenth in 2021 also launched Sounds of Liberation (SOL). The first of four intimate performances and conversations about race and music  with Black musicians living in Lake County featured SOL Musical Director and composer/musician Clovice Lewis interviewed by social justice advocate and arts professional  Sabrina Klein.

Following the SOL event, the audience moved outdoors. Throughout the evening,  over 200 community members joined the joyful celebration - also the first large outdoor dance and gathering after COVID.  Of note is the fact that President Biden declared Junteenth a National Holiday just two days prior.

Lewis introduced the public to the holiday followed by Kenyan dinner from local chef Feswali Mulanda, a performance by singer songwriter Gloria Scott,  a reading by Lake County Poet Laureate Georgina Marie Guardado, Childrens' drumming group led by Victor Hall, West African dancing and drumming, and dancing  with the Midnight Sun Massive band (Reggae, Soul, Ska and Calypso Fusion). Juneteenth 2022 featured Gloria Scott, Howard Dockens, Robert Watson and Jimmy Blackmon.  MAC looks forward to many more Joyful Juneteenth Celebrations in years to come.

Sounds of Liberation

Black voices are rising in a cry for solidarity in their fight for liberation from injustice...

The Sounds of Liberation project (SOL) honors the black experience as told through musical genres that have contributed to and influenced contemporary North American music and culture.
SOL is a series of performances and intimate performances and conversations with black musicians living in rural Lake County California about their responses to sweeping social events. The Sounds of Liberation project uplifts a hopeful vision of racial and ethnic harmony, and social change. We invite you to join us on a journey to raise awareness and understanding.

SOL included hybrid online and in-person performances and conversations with regional musicians sharing their personal artistic journey.  Each of our events include a Q and A component, facilitated by Lake County musician, composer, and educator Clovice Lewis. All events were open to the public and recorded for use as a catalyst for community engagement in discussions about race, systemic racism, and social justice.

Sounds of Liberation was made possible with support from California Humanities a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit www.calhum.org.