The annual Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival lasts all day Wednesday.
The whole festival spanned five days and eight venues from June 15 to Juneteenth on Wednesday. The festivities at Cabin John Regional Park included a parade and children’s carnival. On Wednesday there were events at the park and at Cabin John Village, as well as a morning 5K road race at Bells Mill Elementary School.
And for the first time in the county, there will be fireworks to celebrate Juneteenth at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday at Shirley Povich Field.
Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, the day enslaved people were declared free in Texas more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Along with celebrating Juneteenth, the Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival also supports the Scotland community and its history. Scotland is a historic Black community in Potomac founded in 1880. The church is the community’s only remaining historic structure, according to the festival website, and is being repaired after a flood in 2019.
Proceeds from the festival will support the restoration of the Scotland AME Zion Church, and will also benefit Emory Grove United Methodist Church, 1 Up Handles, Soul in Motion African Dancers and Drummers, Future Stars and Reach Beyond Basketball.
This is the second annual Juneteenth Scotland Festival.
