THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WCTV) - Hundreds gathered at the Thomasville Fairgrounds Saturday for the sixth annual Juneteenth Freedom Festival.

The festival, organized by the Juneteenth of Thomasville-Thomas County Foundation, Inc., has grown into a signature community event, drawing families, local leaders, and organizations together in celebration of African American culture.

“Freedom is for everybody. The ending of slavery should’ve been the beginning of unity,” said founder Ucher Dent.

In addition to live music, food vendors and cultural performances, the event included a job recruitment fair, college readiness resources and access to mental health services.

“We try to address those areas where people have challenges. It’s about true freedom, and you can’t be totally free until you work on all those areas of your life,” Dent said.

Festival attendees like Shaunta Lamons said the event is also an important opportunity to pass history on to the next generation.

“The best way for our kids to know about their heritage or where we came from is for us to tell them,” Lamons said. “We have to make sure that we’re, first, doing it at home or in church so that they know, and community events like this one.”

Dent said she’s committed to growing the festival for years to come, ensuring that Juneteenth remains not just a remembrance of the past, but a celebration of cultural pride and progress.

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