Juneteenth events in Odessa!
Events include a pageant judged by NewsWest 9's own Christina Burgess.
KWES
Don't have anything to do for Juneteenth? We have you covered!
According to the Black Cultural Council of Odessa (BCCO), they organize the largest Juneteenth celebration in the state of Texas. Some people even come from across state lines to participate in and enjoy the festivities of their Juneteenth celebration.
This celebration honors the day when slaves in Texas learned of their emancipation. They organize a variety of activities that the whole family can enjoy, including musical performances, a parade, multicultural exhibits, a morning set aside for youth educational programs and much more.
There's even an event where NewsWest 9's very own Christina Burgess will be judging!
Everyday from June 14-18, there will be a "Delicious Food Juneteenth Celebration" from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Woodson Park, 1020 East Murphy St. in Odessa. There will be more events at the park daily that we'll tell you about below!
June 14 Wednesday
Kickoff Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 14, with the Juneteenth Kickoff Celebration! This first event starts at noon at the Black Cultural Council of Odessa Office at 1020 East Murphy St.
The event will include inspiring speeches, entertainment, food, dancing and more. Everyone is welcome!
Also on Wednesday, there will be a Gospel Celebration presented by BCCO. The event will start at 7:30 pm. at First United Methodist Church at 405 N. Lee Ave. There will be an opening by guest speaker Pastor Bradley A. Hale of Mt. Horeb Missionary Baptist Church, along with praise and worship featuring Zacardi Cortez.
There will be free open seating, but if you want reserved seating, there's Level One ($100, you'll receive a t-shirt as well!) and Level Two ($300, you'll receive a t-shirt, reception meet and greet and a photo opportunity!).
June 15 Thursday
On June 15, there will be an All White Party Event featuring violinist Dominique Hammons. This event will be at 305 East 5th St. at the Odessa Marriott Conference Center. The doors will open at 9 p.m.
Admission per person is $50, and if you want a reserved table you can pay $500 for eight seats. The dress code, as the name suggests, is all white only!
To purchase tickets call 432-212-6700 or 432-853-1344.
June 16 Friday
On Friday, June 16, the BCCO presents the 2023 "Takin' it to the Next Level" Juneteenth Pageant. The event will take place at 7 p.m. at the Blackshear Elementary Auditorium, 501 South Dixie in Odessa.
The categories for the pageant are Little Miss Juneteenth (Grades 2-5), Junior Miss Juneteenth (Grades 6-8) and Miss Juneteenth (Grades 9-12 and Ages 18-21, in college).
Our very own Christina Burgess will be a judge during this event!
For more information, call 432-385-5652.
At 9:30 p.m. enjoy music by DJ One Way as well as a Youth Dance at the south end of the Park.
The 42nd Annual Danny R. Wright Juneteenth Basketball Tournament is happening Friday evening and all day Saturday. All the games will be played at Woodson Boys and Girls Club. For more information call 432-978-8908.
Also Friday evening and all day Saturday is the 4th annual Regina McKnight Juneteenth Volleyball Tournament. All games will be played at the Ector Fieldhouse.
June 17 Saturday
On Saturday, June 17, BCCO is hosting several events:
The first event is Youth in the Park, which starts at 10 a.m. at Woodson Park. There will be face painting, balloon art, hamburgers, hot dogs, video games and more!
At noon, also at Woodson Park, the annual Juneteenth "Cookout" will begin. This event will end at 2 p.m.
Starting at 2 p.m., there will then be an interactive social skills workshop featuring University of Texas alum and 3-time UT Track and Field record breaker Lauryn Caldwell.
Called "Taking it to the Next Level", the workshop will talk about overcoming obstacles to get you to the next level. There will be a vision board and door prizes.
At 7 p.m., get ready for the Juneteenth Parade! The line up time is 6 p.m. and the line up location is the intersection of Pool Road and South Dixie Boulevard.
The parade's route will start north on Dixie Boulevard to Murphy Street, turning right on Murphy Street and going east to Barrett Drive.
There are prizes as well! Numbers will be issued at the line up and you must have a number to be judged. The prizes are $300 for first place, $200 for 2nd place and $100 for 3rd place, so make sure to bring your A game! Winners will be announced at 9:30 p.m.
At 9 p.m., at the main stage will be Home Town Heroes honoring Bobbie Caufield, Stella Stevenson and Lula Mae Washington.
At 9:30 p.m., there will be a Battle of the DJ's featuring DJ One Way and DJ Eden! There will also be another Youth Dance at the south end of the park.
June 18 Sunday
On the last day, Sunday, June 18, there will be the 6th annual 35 & older Legends Juneteenth Basketball Tournament at 1 p.m. at the Woodson Boys and Girls Club.
At 8 p.m. on the main stage at Woodson Park, there will be shout cheerleading by Welton, followed by "Laff'n Outside with the Lord" at 9:30 p.m. Finally, there will be one last Youth Dance at the south end of the park.
For more information, visit the Black Cultural Council of Odessa website or call 432-305-0369.