Crews put final touches on city's Juneteenth celebration
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — As the city's Juneteenth celebrations approach, workers put the finishing touches on all the attractions Thursday.
Crews spent the day building the main stage at Point State Park, barricades were put on Liberty Avenue, and Market Square was transformed into a performance and vendor space.
"Black people didn't get their freedom until 1865," Juneteenth organizer William "B" Marshall said. "We celebrate Juneteenth as the second American Independence Day. So it's an American holiday. It's very important that we educate the community about what Juneteenth means, what the cultural significance is."
The four-day celebration is almost here, and Marshall said there is something for everybody.
Last year, the event brought more than 44,000 people to Downtown Pittsburgh and generated an estimated $2 million. This year, Marshall is expecting even more.
"With the addition of the Taylor Swift concert over the weekend, we're looking at maybe 60,000 people," Marshall said.
There had been some issues between event organizers, the city and the state surrounding certain restrictions; mainly regarding vendors bringing gas generators into the park and security.
The vendors will now line Liberty Avenue, where they can use the generators of their choosing, and security will be covered through in-kind services from the city, according to Marshall.
"They're going to do $80,000 in in-kind services," he said. "That in-kind service in 2022 covered the security."
And for the first time ever at the event, there is a Juneteenth fireworks display at Point State Park on Monday at 9:35 p.m.