IOWA CITY– The Johnson County Juneteenth Committee seeks vendors for this year’s Education and Resource Fair. This year’s fair will be held virtually from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 16. This event brings together many members of our community and provides an opportunity to learn something and to meet new neighbors.
Juneteenth is an historical community event that commemorates the date in history when, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers sailed into Galveston, Texas, and read aloud the order freeing the quarter-million slaves still residing in the state. This occurred on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth is a bittersweet holiday, a time of celebration, but also a time of reflection, healing, and hopefully a time for the country to come together and deal with its slave legacy.
Vendors who are interested in connecting with residents from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to register. Throughout the event, vendors will have several opportunities to converse virtually with attendees and talk about their business or organization.
This year, there will be swag bags for the first 120 attendees. Bags will be dropped off at local libraries for participants to pick up. Vendors participating in the fair who would like to add information about their business or organization to the bags must drop off items to Keshia Fields, Inclusion and Equity Specialist, at the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building, 855 S. Dubuque St. by Monday, June 7. Only vendors who have a virtual table will have the opportunity to add to the swag bags.
To register as a vendor, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/juneteenth-education-resource-fair-vendor-registration-registration-153678846567 through Friday, June 11. The cost to register is $25 plus any applicable fees.