The celebration of freedom is moving indoors this year.

For the first time, Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival attendees won’t be beaten down by the sun, rain, wind or hail, as the sixth annual event moves from last year’s outdoor location at The Citadel mall to Norris Penrose Event Center. The free festival is Saturday and Sunday.

After originating at America the Beautiful Park in 2021 and attracting 36,000 people in 2024, the event moved to The Citadel last year after its organizer, the nonprofit One Body Ent, lost more than half of the funding from the city of Colorado Springs, said event organizer Jennifer Smith. The price to hold it at the park also increased to $5,000 a day.

The move from grass to asphalt came with a drop in attendance, as last year’s crowd numbered 22,000. It was also due to The Citadel’s reputation, Smith said, after several shootings had occurred there.

“We don’t want to give up on it,” she said. “We want people to know it’s important.”

The meaning behind Juneteenth

Juneteenth (shortened from June 19), which became a federal holiday in 2021, marks the day in 1865 that federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to free more than 250,000 enslaved Black people. It came two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared enslaved people in Confederate states were free. Galveston was the last town in the nation to receive the news.

“June is about freedom,” Smith said. “It’s to celebrate where you came from and to do it in a fun and festive way. It’s a responsibility to share your freedom. It’s not just about Black people being free. It’s about everybody being free.”

Daytime festivities

More than 60 vendors will participate over the two days, including 25 health fair vendors. Kids can play in bounce houses, get their faces painted and do arts and crafts.

“On the Go: Juneteenth Fashion Show,” for ages 55 and older, will feature clothing from a few Colorado Springs boutiques at 2 p.m. Saturday. A car, truck and motorcycle show will be from noon-5 p.m. Saturday.

Who’s on the bill?

Early 2000s rapper and actor David Banner (a stage name inspired by the main character in “The Incredible Hulk) will headline the festival at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. His hits include “Play,” “Like a Pimp” and “Get Like Me.”

National touring recording jazz saxophonist Tony Exum Jr.’s “Rhythm ‘N’ Smooth Experience” will hit the stage at 6 p.m. Sunday, with R&B group 702 and R&B singer Lil G (of Silk).

The I-25 Showcase will feature a roster of local musicians, including Jemond Aly, Tigerchazz, Brutha Q and Mikhya B from 4-5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Looking back

Smith remembers the first festival, when the pandemic was still on the tip of everybody’s tongue. Someone suggested that she and her husband’s nonprofit, One Body Ent, do a Juneteenth event, as they’d already successfully done several iterations of the Multi-Cultural Black History Program during Black History Month in February.

“That first year, we had 1,800 people for three days. We ran out of food. It was hard,” Smith said. “We had 12 vendors. They were worried about coming out of the house. We paid for everything on our own. El Pomar donated to us. They believed in Juneteenth.”

Juneteenth Celebration by Concrete Couch

Concrete Couch, a nonprofit that works with kids and community groups to create public art and build community, will hold its second annual Juneteenth Celebration on Friday at Concrete Coyote Park.

The free event will feature food, live music by Caleb Colours, Chocuba, the Pikes Peak Musicians Association and Iyanla Ayite and the Backbones; and a Freedom Walk on the trails around the park’s eight acres.

“Freedom Walk is based on Opal Lee. She was important in making Juneteenth a federal holiday,” said Reece Donnelly, president of the Concrete Couch board. “She does a walk to freedom, a two and a half mile walk in different places. That walk represents the two and a half years it took for the Emancipation Proclamation to reach her hometown, which is Galveston.”

If you go

What: Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival by One Body Ent and K-Land Community Cares

When: 8 a.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. Sunday

Where: Norris Penrose Event Center, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Road

Price: Free; scjuneteenthfestival.com

Something else: Juneteenth Celebration, by Concrete Couch, 4-8 p.m. Friday, Concrete Coyote Park, 1100 S. Royer St., free; concretecouch.org/juneteenth