Mark your calendars for a day of family fun at the Granby Racial Unity Festival at Granby Memorial High School on June 29. This free interracial arts and education festival, hosted by Granby Racial Reconciliation (GRR), allows community members to learn and appreciate our differences and celebrate and embrace our similarities. The concept of racial unity is meant to drive collaboration, friendship, equity, access and social justice.
The day’s events will start with a 3-on-3 basketball tournament for teens and adults. Musical festivities will begin at 2:45 p.m. with DJ DPHR as emcee. See the accompanying box for the day’s lineup.
For the past two years, GRR hosted Granby Celebrates Juneteenth in honor of the new federal holiday. For 2024, GRR will join other Farmington Valley towns for a Juneteenth celebration on June 15. The Racial Unity Festival on June 29 expands its celebration to be inclusive of all races and cultures, which fits with its mission of being committed to the ongoing work of racial reconciliation in and around Granby.
All of the festival events are free and open to the public. Food and drink will be available for purchase from various multicultural food vendors such as Ultimate BBQ, Sum Kim Bop Korean, StidYums Bakery, Bdelicious Ice Cream and others. Other vendors will also be on-site promoting products and services to the community. Free on-site parking is available.
For more details visit granbyracialreconciliation.com/racialunity
Submitted by Granby Racial Unity Festival Committee
June 29 Schedule
11 a.m. 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament: Pre-registration by April 30 required. Special guest is actor Dennis “LA” Whit
2:45 p.m. Yootay Singers: Drummers from the Mashantucket Pequot tribal nation who bring music and healing to their community. The Institute for American Indian Studies will do a land recognition.
3:05 p.m. Welcome: Ken Mouning, GRR
3:15 p.m. Sensación Urbana: Lively, melodic Latino Dance Music
4 p.m. JADHA Double Dutch Exhibition: Carrie McCrorey from JADHA Foundation will provide an exhibition of beginning and experienced double Dutch skills. Throughout the day she will teach attendees. There will be an amateur contest for children and adults. WFSB weekend anchor Alleah Red will announce the winners.
4:15 p.m. Bharatanatyam: Indian Classical Dance Group whose form expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas of Hinduism and Jainism.
5 p.m. The Attik Band: Granby high school students whose band plays a wide variety of musical genres but specializes in blues rock.
5:30 p.m. The Lost Tribe: Drum-centered Afro-funk ensemble, led by multi-percussionist Jocelyn Pleasant. It is a blend of djembe music into African Diasporic genres like jazz, rock, funk, blues and reggae.
6:45 p.m. Sazzy Brass: Interracial Jazz/R and B band with Granby resident Rosemarie Roy and Dawn Zukowski joining a full ensemble with jazz, blues and R and B numbers.
8:30 p.m. Close