Organizer says Greenfield’s Juneteenth event on tap to be ‘bigger and more engaging’

Abdou Sarr dances on stage at Greenfield’s 2024 Juneteenth celebration at Beacon Field.

Abdou Sarr dances on stage at Greenfield’s 2024 Juneteenth celebration at Beacon Field. STAFF FILE PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

Staff Writer

Published: 06-17-2025 1:57 PM

Modified: 06-17-2025 6:33 PM


GREENFIELD — Four years after the Biden administration declared Juneteenth a federal holiday, Human Rights Commission Chair Mpress Bennu said this year’s celebration in Greenfield is shaping up to be the largest one yet.

Juneteenth is celebrated annually to commemorate June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved Americans in Texas were emancipated. Bennu, who has organized Greenfield’s Juneteenth celebration since the inaugural ceremony in 2022, explained that this year’s event will begin at noon on Thursday with a proclamation outside City Hall. The festivities will continue Saturday with a celebration and ceremony at the Greenfield Common from 2 to 7 p.m., followed by a dance party at the Moose Lodge from 6 to 10 p.m.

Although last year’s Juneteenth celebration spanned just one day at Beacon Field, Bennu said she decided to hold most of this year’s events downtown to help support businesses in the area.

“This is the fourth year, and I definitely wanted to do something bigger and more engaging. So I went to the Mayor’s Office to ask about a proclamation this year for Juneteenth,” Bennu said. “It’s always been in the park, but this year I’m going to bring it to the downtown area as a means to support our downtown businesses. I know that some individuals are doing Juneteenth sidewalk sales, so this is my way of helping boost our downtown business district.”

This year’s event will be the first to feature a dance party, which Bennu said she will DJ. A $10 donation is requested at the door. The dance party will include musical performances by NBS Malay and The Thunderballs. Then, on Saturday, the Pamoja Drum and Dance Collective from Amherst and Twice As Smart will perform at the Juneteenth celebration on the common. Additionally, Mayor Ginny Desorgher, the Greenfield Police Department, Greenfield Community College and members of Racial Justice Rising will speak at this year’s event.

This year will also feature the first-ever Juneteenth awards ceremony, where 14 trophies will be given to organizations for their support of the city’s Juneteenth festivities. Awards will be given in the following categories: top sponsor for four years, youth, Juneteenth support for four years, Juneteenth community partnership for four years, community support in 2025, Juneteenth Person of the Year and a special tribute award.

Among the tables and booths, Bennu said a masseuse from Springfield will have a massage table, alongside a number of vendors such as Greenfield Savings Bank, which she said will offer a sensory table for neurodiverse attendees. Renewal by Andersen, she said, will also be holding a $10,000 sweepstakes for window and door work that the company offers. The Resilience Center of Franklin County, The RECOVER Project, Artspace Community Arts Center, Franklin Community Co-op, That’s Marty Mar, Vidhi’s Bollywood Jukebox and Thistle Hill will also be tabling.

As Juneteenth celebrates the official end of slavery in the United States, Bennu explained that its celebration is apolitical and for all Americans to attend and enjoy.

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“It’s always about community and bringing the community together, that’s how I see it. … It’s not about politics and it’s going to stay that way,” Bennu said. “I’m just trying to do something a little different and more inviting. It’s not a Black thing, it’s not a white thing — it’s an American event, an American celebration. It’s not about Democrats, it’s not about Republicans. It’s about community.”

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.