Juneteenth NYC Parade and Festival bring community together, despite rain in Brooklyn
The 16th annual Juneteenth NYC Festival kicked off Saturday in Brooklyn, where people from all over came together to celebrate.
The rain couldn't put a damper on this year's parade, as the community danced and marched from Gotham Health Center to Gershwin Park in East New York.
Brooklyn Juneteenth Parade and Festival
After the Juneteenth parade, the festival had plenty in store for the community, from a fashion show to jerk chicken and Raw Elementz cold-pressed juices.
"I really wanted to enhance the wellness and wellbeing of our people," Zpennelle Simms, with Raw Elementz, said.
The Brooklyn Book Bodega held a giveaway and there was a soccer clinic for kids.
"Have them come outside, have them play soccer, have them meet friends, have them create the new bonds with families and everything," Kevin Blackstock, a coach with Progressive Youth Soccer Club, said.
"We want them to have access and ownership to their own books so they can actually have their own home libraries," Leolyn Scott, with the Brooklyn Book Bodega, said.
Rain couldn't put a damper on Brooklyn's Juneteenth parade. The community danced and marched from Gotham Health Center to Gershwin Park in East New York on Saturday, June 14, 2025.
CBS News New York
Add in some culture and fun, and there was someone for everyone.
"You walk with your bag, then buy your food from your neighbors and support them," said Garvin Cabrera, of East New York.
"Juneteenth is really about celebrating us as people. We wanted to come and give back to our community," said Jasmine Jones-Simms, with Raw Elementz.
CBS News New York was also serving the community with our pop-up newsroom.
"It's very nice," Sonia Charon, of East New York, said.
"I've enjoyed the whole thing," said Tom K., another East New York resident.
Juneteenth NYC activities are being held until the holiday on June 19. This year's celebration started with a Brooklyn restaurant crawl that got underway Thursday.
contributed to this report.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift enjoy rare night out at Stanley Cup Final Game 4
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift might be enchanted with hockey now. The star couple was on hand at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and Oilers, won 5-4 by Edmonton in overtime, evening the series at two games apiece. Advertisement Kelce wore a red top with red shorts as he rocked a white and red 'Palm Tree Crew' Panthers hat while Swift appeared to keep her look neutral in an off-white top and bottom. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift look on during the Oilers' 5-4 overtime win over the Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. Getty Images The two were even spotted chatting it up with NHL icon Wayne Gretzky. Swift, 35, has had plenty of viral hockey moments in life, including a reveal of the 2009-10 Predators then-new third jerseys during a concert in Nashville and, four years later, taking a picture with former Hurricanes star Joel Skinner, even holding up his jersey. She also donned Islanders gear in a skit with Jimmy Fallon for the 'Tonight Show' in 2015. Kelce, who previously posted about his love of playoff hockey, and his brother Jason debated in October on the 'New Heights' podcast about which NHL players could also play in the NFL, and they named Oilers star Connor McDavid as one who could. Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift and Wayne Gretzky sit together during the second period of the Oilers' Game 4 win over the Panthers. Getty Images In April, a source told Page Six that Swift and Kelce have enjoyed a 'special' offseason, which has largely been low-key after the Chiefs lost the Super Bowl to the Eagles. Advertisement 'They are making the most of their time off together. They are hanging out with friends, too. It's a special time for them,' the source said. The two were spotted last month in Philadelphia to celebrate Mother's Day, though before that, they opted out of the Met Gala in New York due to scheduling issues. Kelce, who announced earlier this offseason that he is coming back to the Chiefs for at least one more year, will likely have more of Swift at games this year as she is not touring this coming season. 'Taylor is really looking forward to the upcoming NFL season,' a source told People on Thursday. Not just because she loves supporting Travis, but because for the first full season since they started dating, she's not juggling a packed tour schedule. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are in attendance during the Oilers' overtime win in Game 4 of the 2025 Stanley Cup. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect 'This fall will be completely different. It's the first season where she's not constantly flying back and forth or working around an entire touring calendar.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Whatever the Club World Cup is, it's the world's passion for soccer that makes it sing
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Some balked at the 'alarming' ticket prices. Others were scared off by ICE. Some were denied visas by U.S. consular officers. Others simply didn't give a crap about the Club World Cup. And yet, when this strange new tournament lifted off at 8:06 p.m. here on Saturday, tens of thousands of Al Ahly fans were bouncing, bringing it to life. More than 60,000 people ultimately filled Hard Rock Stadium. The first arrived several hours earlier, possessed by excitement. They queued at entrances long before 5 p.m., when gates were scheduled to open. Hundreds packed into a narrow corridor, melting in 91-degree heat. Advertisement 'We're gonna pass out,' one woman told a security guard. Another in a hijab complained about the searing South Florida sun. But most sang. They jumped, and clapped, and sweat, and sang. A few waved Egyptian flags. Others whipped out phones to capture the revelry. Some had traveled from New York, others from nearby, others from Cairo. They came with massive banners and drums, with joy and passion, the type that soccer — or football, or kurat al-qadam, or whatever you call it — makes irrepressible. They came for a tournament that FIFA vastly overbaked and overhyped. As this inaugural Club World Cup approached in April, May and June, organizers became increasingly worried, and desperate to sell tickets. They slashed prices and concocted special deals. They offered five tickets for $20 to local college students, and freebies to veterans. Advertisement Their fears of empty seats, and a drab atmosphere, hounded the buildup to the tournament. Their missteps, clearly, were plentiful. But they were bailed out by the sport they govern. They banked on Lionel Messi igniting their grand venture, and attracting his disciples to the opener. What they seemingly missed was that the allure of the Club World Cup is not glitz and megastars; it's this organic, deep-rooted passion. It's whatever compels whole families to arrive at 4:15 for an 8 p.m. match; whatever compels sane men to chant like lovable maniacs. It's the communities and traditions and love that have grown around this sport over decades and decades, from the Middle East to Europe to South America and beyond. That's what brought tens of thousands of Al Ahly fans to South Florida to outnumber supporters of the local team that employs the greatest player ever. Advertisement That's what brought hundreds, if not thousands, of Palmeiras fans to Times Square the day before their first Club World Cup game Sunday at MetLife Stadium in North Jersey. That's what will drive, and in some ways save, this Club World Cup, from city to city and diaspora to diaspora. There will be some mostly empty stadiums, and some that close their upper decks due to lagging ticket sales, and some duds. FIFA's promotion (and pricing) of the tournament, at times misguided, at times arrogant, has largely failed in the host country. The Club World Cup, to many casual American fans, remains unknown or indistinguishable from the friendlies and preseason 'tournaments' that tour the States every summer. Advertisement And those casual American fans, unfortunately, are the ones to whom many aspects of the event have been tailored. At Saturday's opener, there was a forgettable pregame show; in-stadium hosts and DJs; and NBA-style, individualized player intros. There were fireworks and a flyover, all sorts of things that might, for some, accentuate the experience. But the Al Ahly fans in Section 304? They just wanted to sing. So they sang, and fans halfway across the stadium recognized the songs, and joined in. They bopped up and down, pulsing their arms, making noise that enlivened a 0-0 draw. And when there was a lull, in the upper deck behind one goal, some supporters of Boca Juniors — an Argentine club that plays here Monday — would randomly start up one of their songs. Advertisement 'Boca, my good friend,' they chanted in Spanish. 'I don't care what anybody says. I follow you everywhere. And every time I love you more.' All of this continued through 90 scoreless minutes. In the 90th, Al Ahly fans were still bouncing. Entire sections of them were standing for no apparent reason — other than, in a word, soccer. They had braved pregame gridlock and paid $40 for parking. Some had planned vacations that might be among the most expensive they'll ever take. They made themselves, not Messi, the stars of the opener, and reminded us all why the Club World Cup will, at least to some extent, be a success. Advertisement Or, at least, if you can get past your cynicism, it'll be fun. Not every stadium will come alive, but Saturday's atmosphere, Inter Miami midfielder Telasco Segovia said, 'was spectacular.'
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Global Fest celebrates immigrants who call Aurora home
For Aurora, Saturday was a day to celebrate the richness of its many immigrant communities. The 12th annual Global Fest drew thousands of people to the Municipal Center. CBS In a city where more than 160 languages are spoken, the event's annual Parade of Nations is a moment to share a little bit of one's origin story. One in five residents of Aurora is foreign born. Festival goers will tell you how joyful they feel here. Glory Ozor was preparing to put on traditional dress from her native Nigeria and said, "African food, international food, American food, everything is here. It's a fun day for me. I always come here every year." There are traditional dances, music and colorful clothing. Amazing food. CBS And the opportunity to learn something you might not know about neighbors. Ivan Castro loved bringing his kids and he says this year was especially meaningful to be here. "Now times are a little hard so it's a good time everybody comes together and get to know their cultures and get to know other cultures, see how much immigrants give back to the U.S," said Castro. Global Fest is a reminder that everyone has a story. And has a reason they've come to live in a country seeking something better. CBS Invested in what they're building here, but never forgetting where they've come from. Anita Schumann was performing with the Hora Romaneasca Folk Dance group, and said, "My mom grew up under Communists, my Dad grew up under the Nazis and they always have taught me to be grateful for this country and for the freedoms and the beauty that is here. 'This is the greatest country in the world', it's one of my favorite quotes from my dad." Global Fest included a tribute concert by Aurora's Mayra Alejandra to the late Tejano music icon Selena, and a Selena look-alike contest.
