Denver Juneteenth celebrations set to kick off: "It's a one of a kind experience"
Juneteenth is almost here! The party kicks off this weekend in Denver ahead of the holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
Black-owned businesses nestled inside Denver's Five Points neighborhood are all buzzing as they prepare for the big celebration. Spangalang Brewery is one of them. The establishment is getting crews and brews Juneteenth-ready.
Host, Jason McBride, stopped by to help with those efforts and share the excitement around Juneteenth with CBS News Colorado's Mekialaya White.
He proudly showed off a new special lager being sold during the event.
"It epitomizes breaking chains," he explained, pointing to the label.
McBride has hosted the celebration for 12 years, so it holds a special place in his heart.
"And this really invigorates this area, right?" White asked.
"It's a one of a kind experience. I've been all across this country and there's nothing like Denver Juneteenth," he expressed.
McBride says the interest and love for Black culture that features food and fashion keeps growing, hence the reason why Denver's celebration is one of the largest nationwide.
"We're talking about some of the hubs: Atlanta, D.C., Chicago… the biggest celebration is here in Denver. So, we definitely take pride in that. We have for years," he said.
McBride also adds, it's inclusive. He encourages all to come on out and celebrate.
"This isn't singularly for African American people… you have all different cultures enjoying the experience. That's the part of Juneteenth I've learned to appreciate the most. Our culture is so entwined in the fabric of America. I think we need to have everybody experiencing it," he said.
And with a lineup like this year's, Juneteenth festivities are certainly worth checking out.
"We'll have Musiq Soulchild headlining," McBride said. "And yes, we'll have 50,000 to 75,000 people and yes, we'll have great food and have everything every festival has. The whole family's going to have something, from grandma down to the youngest child."
You can check out the full schedule here: https://bit.ly/444ksnE