Local Juneteenth event will highlight history and heritage behind the holiday

IDAHO FALLS — East Idahoans looking for a way to celebrate Juneteenth are invited to attend an evening of musical performances and storytelling centered on the holiday, Friday at the Colonial Theater.

Organizers say “Juneteenth: An Evening at the Colonial” will highlight the history and cultural significance of the country’s newest federal holiday, and admission is free.

The program will begin with a reading of a proclamation on the Juneteenth holiday by Idaho Falls Mayor Lisa Burtenshaw, who will be joined by officials from the City of Ammon and the Bonneville County Commissioners’ Office, according to a news release from the City of Idaho Falls.

“I’m glad our community can come together to celebrate and reflect on Juneteenth,” Burtenshaw said in the release. “It’s an important moment in our nation’s history, and we remain dedicated to freedom and equality for everyone.”

The event will then feature musical performances that showcase themes from the African American experience and their influence on 20th-century American symphonic music, according to a press release from the Community Heritage Committee of Eastern Idaho. The music will be directed by Carrie Athay, executive director of the Idaho Falls Symphony.

“Together with a readers’ theater presentation by the Freedom Readers youth group, the program seeks to increase public understanding of Juneteenth as a pivotal moment in American history and a celebration that belongs to all Americans,” the release states.

The event will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The Colonial Theater is located at 450 A Street in Idaho Falls.

The full schedule will be as follows:

• Mosy Moran, local musician and business owner of The Heart, will emcee
• The United States’ national anthem, performed by Grisel Gonzales
• Local mayors and county commissioners present Juneteenth proclamation
• Introduction and theme by Chloe Doucette, managing director of the Museum of Idaho
• Performance by the Idaho Falls Symphony String Quartet
• Performance by Eastern Idaho Jazz Society Ensemble
• Presentation by Freedom Readers Youth Group
• Performance by Mosy and The Heartthrobs
• Finale