Having fulfilled the 2023 goal of establishing the Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival as one of the major cultural events centered around the national holiday in the DMV, Juneteenth Scotland Foundation Inc. will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. on April 19 at 7700 Scotland Drive to highlight key elements of the upcoming 2024 festival — including the names of the five other non-profit organizations which will share in the net proceeds.
Established to celebrate and support all the historic Black communities of Montgomery County, the Juneteenth Scotland Foundation netted nearly $60,000 from the Juneteenth Festival in 2023. That money was donated to the Scotland AME Zion Church, the historic 100-year-old structure on Seven Locks Road in Potomac, which is currently being rebuilt and expanded after a 2019 flood.
This year, according to LaTisha Gasaway-Paul, the Juneteenth Festival chairperson, organizers are excited to highlight other organizations and individuals.
“The Scotland community has been the site of many struggles, but also many blessings,” said Gasaway-Paul, a fifth-generation resident of the community that was founded in 1880. “The Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival is one of the ways the Scotland families can give back. Last year’s events were great; this year, I promise you it will be even better.”
The festival, set to run June 15-19 across various locations in Montgomery County, will feature 20 distinct events — including a first-time parade at Cabin John Regional Park, youth clinics for football, basketball, baseball, and softball, and music and dance performances from national, regional, and local acts.
Keandre Jones, a DMV native from Montgomery County who recently signed with the Washington Commanders, will attend the press conference. Jones, who brings a unique perspective on community engagement and empowering the youth, will join other esteemed leaders in business, faith, and politics, as well as various elected officials.