Oneonta’s annual Juneteenth festival is gearing up for its fifth year, scheduled from noon until 5 p.m. June 22 on Field 5 at Neahwa Park.
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
Lead organizer Diandra Sangetti-Daniels said in an email on Saturday, June 15, that the celebration is not only free and fun for families in the city of Oneonta, but also an educational experience.
She said that the event offers “community-run knowledge-sharing sessions” under the festival tent, including a book sampling by local author Haabiba Rothenberg-Whitney.
Quadir Noel is scheduled to give a presentation on the history of Juneteenth and his experience as a Black man, followed by ‘BLK TWN HLL,’ an event where attendees can get a behind-the-scenes look at how the festival is run and how they can help plan next year’s celebration.
She said that the public has a lot of other activities to look forward to at the festival, including food, performances, games, interactive displays from tabling organizations and access to picnic blankets for lounging.
Sangetti-Daniels grew up in Brooklyn. She and her family to Oneonta moved in 2006 when she entered sixth grade at Riverside Elementary School. She has a twin sister, Sierra Sangetti-Daniels.
“It was there we learned of the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club, just down the road, and split most of my time between school, home and the club,” she said. “Getting involved in sports there and making friends, Sierra and I quickly became a part of this new little community I now call home.”
Diandra Sangetti-Daniels said that she began hosting the Juneteenth event in 2020 to create space for her anger, confusion and grief that arose from uncertainty about how to address police violence against Blackness and poverty. She said that a friend recommended that she try hosting a rally in Oneonta.
“It must have been the call to action I needed because that summer, we gathered for our first time on Field 5 in Neahwa Park,” she said.
She said that what started as a vigil has grown into the festival it is today thanks to “grassroot community collaboration.”
Diandra Sangetti-Daniels said that she advocates for more representation in all aspects of life, and that is what this festival does for Oneonta.
“Even as the area diversifies, there aren’t many spaces held for people of color and even less for Blackness,” she said. “And when I say this, it is in acknowledgment that events and spaces are curated around a desired audience. Black spaces, or spaces friendly to us, are limited. Our language, hair and self-expression are heavily policed in white spaces, which is why holding space for Blackness is such a radical act.”
She added that her hope for the festival this year and for future Juneteenth festivals is that it continues to be a space where self-expression is celebrated, not reprimanded.
Sangetti-Daniels said that she feels it is vital to celebrate Juneteenth in Oneonta and Otsego County.
“The festival is just a small part of the vibrant community of Blackness in Oneonta,” she said, “and the hope of this festival is to encourage more of us to build and run spaces in Oneonta. Whether that’s joining the planning committee for this festival or gaining the confidence to share your ideas in everyday spaces, the Oneonta Juneteenth Festival celebrates our history by strengthening our communal ties and networks of support.”
More information on how to get involved is available at www.JuneteenthOneonta.com