LEE SCHMIDT, Pittsburgh Public Safety Director, speaks at a news conference, June 14. (Photo by J.L. Martello)
Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth events will definitely happen this weekend at Point State Park, and so will the fireworks display on Monday, June 19, the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned.
A ball of confusion that even the best therapist couldn’t remedy has surrounded the upcoming Juneteenth celebration. Everyone was all smiles on April 26 inside Pittsburgh City Council chambers, announcing the behemoth of events that would compose this year’s Juneteenth celebration. The announcement also included the addition of a fireworks display to end the weekend of events, Monday, June 19, at Point State Park, around 9:30 p.m.
But in the past week, there has been discussion that the Juneteenth celebration wouldn’t happen at all at Point State Park, due to various alleged factors, including who would be responsible for security inside and outside Point State Park, which security would be responsible for “bag checks” prior to entering Point State Park for the fireworks display, and who would pay for the various levels of security.
But during a news conference at the City-County Building, Downtown, Wednesday, June 14, Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt confirmed that Juneteenth will indeed be held at Point State Park, along with Monday night fireworks, and that Pittsburgh Police would have a significant presence at the festival.
“We’ve been working with Pennsylvania State Police and the organizer (of Juneteenth, B. Marshall of Stop The Violence Pittsburgh),” Schmidt said. “We have been providing police for that event since it started and we’ll continue to do so.”
When it comes to fireworks, “we added some additional security,” Schmidt said.
AMERA GILCHRIST, Pittsburgh’s EMS chief, said medics would be on hand at both the Juneteenth celebration and Taylor Swift concert at Acrisure Stadium. (Photo by J.L. Martello)
Wesley Robinson, press secretary for the Pa. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which operates Point State Park, confirmed to the Courier on June 15 that its security division would provide bag checks and other security measures on Monday, June 19, prior to anyone entering Point State Park for the fireworks display.
“We’re excited for another year of Juneteenth festivals,” Robinson said. “We look forward to having a nice event to celebrate a special occasion.”
Schmidt told the Courier that there will be extra officers in the Downtown area on Monday, “in part because of fireworks and the expectation of a larger crowd.”
While there will be Juneteenth happening at Point State Park and Market Square, don’t be surprised to see a lot of “Swifties” around. “Swifties” is the term for the millions of fans of pop megastar Taylor Swift, whos “Eras” tour will play at Acrisure Stadium on Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17. Schmidt estimates about 8,000 to 10,000 people per day will convene Downtown for Juneteenth, but at the very least, 65,000 additional people will be in Downtown and the North Shore for each Taylor Swift concert. While a Juneteenth goer may not have a ticket to Taylor Swift, a “Swiftie” can easily join the ticket-free festivities for Juneteenth.
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey told the Courier that Juneteenth, the now-federal holiday that celebrates the end of slavery for African Americans, is a celebration for all.
“I’ll be there, my team will be there,” Mayor Gainey said. “We’re celebrating the independence of all Americans at this point, and I think that’s special. I think that everybody needs to come out and enjoy Juneteenth. This is the unity that we speak about all the time, the ability for all of us to come together to be able to talk about everybody’s independence, and that’s a wonderful day in our city.”
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