The annual Juneteenth festival continues to grow beyond Columbus city limits, not only attracting out-of-town visitors, but out-of-town vendors.
Georgia was represented well Saturday afternoon as vendors set up at Sim Scott Park in anticipation of a standing-room-only crowd when the music began that evening. Lowndes County District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks said the total number of vendors was capped at 30, with eight hailing from the Peach State.
Not all of the Georgia vendors arrived together or even knew one another. Brooks says their presence was the result of coincidence and word of mouth.
“We have a lot of Columbus folks from Atlanta, and they schedule their vacations to come back for Juneteenth,” he said.
Apparently, some of those Columbus transplants to the ATL gave their restaurateur contacts the heads-up.
Sandra Cooper, with Atlanta-based Wing Stop, said she heard about the Columbus festival through a friend. She had heated pans of buffalo wing, lemon pepper, Hawaiian and barbecue wings set up by noon waiting for the crowds to arrive.
Abdullah Jihad with Atlanta Tees said his father heard about the festival “from somewhere.”
Joan Coulthurst, a Trinidad native now living in Atlanta, heard about Juneteenth from a friend in Birmingham, Ala.
“He came down and told us about this wonderful festival,” said Coulthurst in her island accent.
Coulthurst operates Joan”s Smoothies, which offers fresh fruit smoothies for a healthy way to beat the heat. But she also had the salty snacks covered with Caribbean and jerk kabobs and Trinidad roti, which consists of curry chicken and vegetables on an East Indian flatbread wrap.
Rodney Wayne, of Lawrenceville, Ga., heard about Columbus” Juneteenth last week while he was working at Macon”s Juneteenth. The Italian Ice vendor formerly lived in Macon and returned for the community”s summer festival but barely broke even on traveling expenses. It was then Macon”s Juneteenth coordinator told him about the Columbus Juneteenth.
“We”re hoping for a lucrative day,” said Wayne.
All of the Georgia vendors were working their first Columbus Juneteenth, but there were plenty of local veterans on hand.
Rhonda Shoemaker of Starkville has driven her sno cone truck to Juneteenth for the past five years. She expected to sell close to 1,000 sno cones Saturday night, even after dark.
“(Juneteenth) has been very good to us. I enjoy it. I enjoy the people and the entertainment,” said Shoemaker.
Gale Davis of Columbus was back for her second year serving hamburgers, hot dogs and fish at Juneteenth. Her prediction for the night was simple and to the point: “Hot, wild and crazy.”
Davis is a fan of Juneteenth and did well at last year”s festival, but says she”d like to see some child-friendly fun set up to take place while the sun is still out.
“Next year I hope they start a little earlier with activities for the kids like water slides or dunking booths. While we”re sitting here waiting (for the sun to set and music to begin), give the kids something to do,” she said.
Dedra Lathan Roby of Columbus was out at Sim Scott for her first Juneteenth as a vendor Saturday, but the caterer says she”s long been a visitor to the festival.
“This is the first year I felt like it would benefit me as far as business,” said Roby. “We”re expecting a pretty profitable day because the weather is nice. It”s hot, but we”ve got things that cater to the heat like sno cones, freeze pops, cold water, Gatorade and fresh, homemade lemonade.”
Although she was ready to serve at noon, Roby said she usually doesn”t come out to the festival as a visitor until after 4 p.m. due to the heat. She predicted the heat would linger after dark and festival-goers wouldn”t be in the mood for heavy food.
“I try to sell what I don”t see out here,” said Roby.
But that”s not the case for everyone. Brooks says he tries to get a variety of vendors, but had no idea so many would be selling shaved ice snacks this year.
Even if he had known, that doesn”t necessarily mean he would have turned anyone away. The share received from vendors pays the festival”s operating costs.
“If we don”t have vendors, we don”t have Juneteenth,” said Brooks.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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