NEW BEDFORD — The third annual Juneteenth vendor market hosted by Buy Black NB will be held on Saturday, June 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House, 396 County St.
“Thanks to a grant from NB Creative we are able to expand on our event and even add a live band this year, Joaquin Santos & Friends,” Justina Perry, founder and director of Buy Black NB, said in a press release. “What people can expect is lots of handmade and local goods for shopping with some returning and some new vendors, live music, food trucks and more of what our guests tell us they love. We create a space highlighting Black culture, Black entrepreneurship, Black leadership. It is stunning and makes me really proud to see.”
Buy Black NB is a free community platform established in 2020. As part of its dedication to discovering, highlighting and promoting Black-owned businesses in the SouthCoast, Buy Black NB hosts year-round events with a hand-selected, diverse group of local vendors offering you an opportunity to find your next favorite product.
“The way we are honoring Juneteenth as we have for the past three years is with a joyous community gathering,” Perry said. “The directory is still at the heart of what we do. We’ll have printed copies available at the Juneteenth vendor market. We’ve discovered over 250 Black-led organizations and Black-owned businesses, offering free promotions with an economic impact that has benefited so many families. It has become the definitive list of Black SouthCoast.”
Juneteenth, also known as Black Independence Day, commemorates June 19th, 1865, when news of the official end of slavery in the United States finally reached Galveston, Texas — notably two and a half years after the formal instatement of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. This is a day of recognition and empowerment for the Black community and its allies.
This free, public event will have something for the entire family. All are invited to shop a curated selection of local Black-owned businesses while enjoying community building on Black Independence Day. There will be children’s face painting, 360 photo booth, Black History trivia, a live band and DJ, raffle prizes and for dads there will be Father’s Day massages.
This project received a Wicked Cool Places grant, facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the NBEDC, and funded by the City of New Bedford’s Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund, with additional support from Bristol County Savings Bank, Barr Foundation, Mass Cultural Council, and MassDevelopment’s TDI Creative Cities Initiative.
Vendors include: For Our God Only; Kinks Haircare; Anika Tyshia Skin care; Faith Endures by Dev; Queens Lane Collection; True Beauty Beads; Baskets of Grace; Celia’s Boutique; E Work Style Institute; Alison Wells Fine Art Gallery; Maternal Nurturing Collective; 90’s Vibe Candles; Lyte Label; PYP by Stephanie; Fusion Dolls; Cards by Cecelia; Taj Collective; Crafted by A&A; 748 Wood Designs; For the Soul HW; Pina & Bean Learn Kriolu; and Brown Suga Stationary.
Among the food trucks that will be present are: Raffa Chimi’s, Kevin’s Food Truck, and Izzy’s.
More information about Buy Black NB, including a comprehensive directory of local Black-owned businesses, can be found at BuyBlackNB.com.
For more information about the Juneteenth event, and registration, visit https://BuyBlackNBJuneteenth.eventbrite.com.
