The Owen Sound Emancipation Festival is celebrating its 153rd anniversary this year, as they head into the long weekend for their event.
On Friday evening at the Grey Roots Museum and Archives, there are three what they’re calling “must-see” segments important to Black History.
The Speakers’ Forum from 8 PM to 9:30 PM will feature author and historian Elizabeth Abbott.
There is also a Tommy Earlls Tribute concert — and a pictoral exhibit of Lynn Ball’s work on the 50th anniversary of that historic march, in Selma Alabama.
The evening begins at 7:15 PM and admission is $20.
On Saturday, the festival shifts to Harrison Park with the Ancestors’ Breakfast from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM.
Admission is $5 dollars, and there wil be special tributes and readings.
The festival picnic will take place from 12:30 PM to 6 PM and is by donation – there will be kids races and games, cultural displays, vendors and live music.
Organizer Blaine Courtney says it’s important to learn about our past and there will be many things to see and learn at this festival.
Courtney says the events of what happened in Selma are really relevant still today, with some of the incidents that have occured recently south of the border.
He also says getting our youth educated about what happened years ago is very important including how it all comes together as part of our “story”.