A major new Juneteenth celebration is coming to Scottsdale this summer, backed by the Arizona NAACP and Mayor Lisa Borowsky, with organizers aiming to establish what they call a \u201ctransformative\u201d annual tradition centered on culture, community and civic engagement.<\/p>\n
The inaugural Scottsdale Juneteenth 2026 will feature two major events in June, combining a large-scale community festival with a more formal civic and faith-based gathering, according to a sponsorship packet released by organizers.<\/p>\n
Borowsky is an honorary chair for the initiative.<\/p>\n
The celebration will center on two \u201csignature experiences,\u201d organizers said.<\/p>\n
The first is the Scottsdale Juneteenth Freedom Festival, scheduled for June 13, at the Scottsdale Civic Center outdoor area.<\/p>\n
The event is expected to draw between 2,000 and 4,000 attendees and will feature live performances, more than 50 vendors and family-oriented programming, according to organizers.<\/p>\n
The second is the Faith & Family Freedom Awards Breakfast, set for June 19 at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.<\/p>\n
The event is described as a \u201cgospel-style\u201d service and awards program recognizing \u201cUnsung Heroes\u201d and featuring keynote reflections from elected officials and faith leaders.<\/p>\n
Together, the events are designed to balance celebration with reflection \u2013 pairing what organizers call \u201ca morning of civic reflection and community recognition\u201d with \u201can evening of music, culture and community activation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Arizona NAACP envisions the initiative as the start of a lasting presence in Scottsdale.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis inaugural series marks a transformative moment for Scottsdale,\u201d organizers wrote. \u201cA commitment to honoring the historical significance of Juneteenth through a family-centered, culturally vibrant experience that fosters unity and reflection.\u201d<\/p>\n
They describe the effort as \u201cmore than just an event,\u201d calling it \u201ca movement to build lasting community impact.\u201d<\/p>\n
The broader mission extends beyond the celebration itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour partnership addresses critical knowledge gaps in our local history while funding leadership institutes, scholarships, and civic mentorship programs that empower the next generation of Arizona\u2019s leaders,\u201d the packet tells potential donors.<\/p>\n
The initiative is being led by a team of Arizona NAACP leaders with backgrounds in public service, faith and youth engagement.<\/p>\n
Sarah Tyree, president of the Arizona NAACP State Conference, is an Army combat veteran and social worker with more than 20 years of experience in community-centered work.<\/p>\n
Andre Miller, vice president, is a U.S. Army veteran and faith leader whose work bridges community and religious outreach.<\/p>\n
Fallon Jones, youth and college advisor, leads civic initiatives aimed at developing young leaders across Arizona.<\/p>\n
In a joint message, organizers underscored both the historical importance and future focus of the effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cJuneteenth is a story of American resilience and the universal pursuit of liberty,\u201d the packet states. \u201cOur goal is to raise $200,000 to ensure that the history of Juneteenth is honored with excellence and that the AZ NAACP State Conference has the resources to mentor the next generation of Arizona\u2019s civic and business leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizers are seeking to raise $200,000 to support the event series and related programming.<\/p>\n
Sponsorship opportunities range from $1,500 to $50,000, with top-tier partners receiving prominent branding, speaking opportunities and VIP access to both events.<\/p>\n
At the highest level, a $50,000 \u201cFreedom Partner\u201d sponsor would receive a speaking role at both events and branding across festival assets. Other tiers include sponsorship of youth programming, stage branding and vendor presence.<\/p>\n
Organizers said the funding will support both the events themselves and broader initiatives tied to the NAACP\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour investment provides the essential underwriting required to produce a festival of this magnitude with excellence,\u201d the packet states. \u201cThis goes beyond logistics; it ensures a safe, high-production environment for over 4,000 attendees.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additional funding will support youth leadership development and policy work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a direct investment in the future of Arizona\u2019s workforce,\u201d organizers said.<\/p>\n
Organizers emphasize that the 2026 celebration is intended as a starting point for an annual tradition.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe invite you to join us as a founding partner in establishing a sustainable tradition,\u201d the packet states.<\/p>\n
If successful, the initiative could significantly expand Juneteenth programming in Scottsdale, bringing together civic leadership, community engagement and cultural celebration in a coordinated, city-backed effort.<\/p>\n
For sponsorship opportunities or more information about Scottsdale Juneteenth 2026, contact the Arizona NAACP State Conference: AZNAACP.org<\/a>, 480-489-7210 or \u00a0Youth@AZNAACP.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A major new Juneteenth celebration is coming to Scottsdale this summer, backed by the Arizona NAACP and Mayor…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":747222,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5131],"tags":[5229,5643,1587,6607,47284,1589,7600,221707,117561,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":["post-747221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-phoenix","tag-america","tag-arizona","tag-az","tag-juneteenth","tag-naacp","tag-phoenix","tag-scottsdale","tag-scottsdale-center","tag-scottsdale-civic-center","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116453023740119185","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/747221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=747221"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/747221\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/747222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=747221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=747221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=747221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}