Bluffton declares Juneteenth a town holiday, hosts celebration with community

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTOC) - The town of Bluffton has declared Juneteenth a town holiday and is hosting a Juneteenth celebration on Saturday.

People across the nation are excited to celebrate Juneteenth and Bluffton is no exception. The town will celebrate with the entire community on Saturday. The event has one goal, to celebrate and lift black voices up. That’s according to one organizer from the MLK Observance Committee.

Councilmember and President of the MLK Observance Committee, Bridgette Frazier, says Juneteenth happening at this time is the perfect way for people who have not known how to speak up over the last few weeks despite wanting to get involved in uplifting they are black neighbors.

“A lot of people are afraid. They feel like if you stand out and you identify black lives matter then it means you’re anti-something. And it’s so not the case., You know? It’s saying that we believe that everyone matters. We’re fighting for everyone. Our movements have always stood in solidarity with every single voice of oppression in this country. The same in this moment right now. We also want to make sure the focus is on those who often get silenced,” said Frazier, Organizer.

WTOC spoke with the mayor of Bluffton who said naming Juneteenth an official holiday was a unilateral agreement, and the town wants to celebrate every holiday that makes their residence feel included.

Saturday’s event will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Bluffton Eagle Park and attendees will need to practice social distancing.

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