Skip to content
Menu
Parade History
  • photo of the moment
    • Archive – photo of the moment
    • Archive II – photo of the moment
  • blog of festive times
  • parade talk
    • Juneteenth Celebration In Wilmar Arkansas: BBQ, Hot Tamales, And Pound Cake
    • Bangladesh Day Parade: A Display Of History
    • Nowruz Persian New Year Parade: Cultural Symbols
    • Eight Photo Essays From H-Celebration
    • Why Talk About Parades And Festivals
    • Additional Resources
  • calendar
  • about
Parade History

Juneteenth Celebration In Wilmar Arkansas: BBQ, Hot Tamales, And Pound Cake

June Dinner Hot Tamales 2006
June Dinner Hot Tamales 2006

Hungry? How about a trip back to the Juneteenth/June Dinner festival and parade in Wilmar, Arkansas for some BBQ, hot tamales, and pound cake. I've included an interview and photos of all things related to food from the 2006 celebration.

Food Choices

During the event, food vendors such as Divalicious Fixings and More, Margo’s’ Catfish, The Catfish Hut-Finger Licking Good, A & W Concessions, Hot Tamales, Simply the Best B & B, AAU Boys Basketball fundraisers, and Revival Center Church of God of Christ fundraisers for youth department, were each selling food that included barbeque goat/pork/beef sandwiches, ribs, turkey legs, catfish, chicken, police sausages, hotdogs, chips, baked beans, fried green tomatoes, tamales, pickles, funnel cake, and/or soda/water. Families and social groups also came prepared with their food and drinks and set up areas with grills, smokers, coolers, tables, and chairs.

Interview

Listen to the interview with Ms. Joyce Steen about her experiences with Juneteenth / June Dinner (unedited video). She talks about her life, family, community, food, and work.

Hindsight

While listening to the interview I was thinking about what guided those questions. At that time, I wasn’t for sure what I needed to know except that I liked knowing why people do what they do. I was there to learn about festival-related things. On an etiquette level, I know that I was always worried. Why do I have the right to ask anything, what if it’s too emotional or something intrusive, and do they have time for me. This is a festival and a person is busy with all sorts of personal things from connecting with people, making money, preparing food, etc. and here they are being generous to me.

I was interested in learning more about Ms. Joyce's circumstances in her life, raising eight kids, and all the successes of her kids, such as her dietician daughter's career. But then I never know how much time I have to talk with someone. Operating a camera, eating, thinking, worrying, hearing with background noises, and then remembering that I’m supposed to be a researcher too, is all so complicated. I know I might not ask a good question or even respond appropriately. I might even lead the conversation in all sorts of directions and not learn anything about the festival, but then maybe that tangent is relevant. It feels more natural without camera equipment, but then I do forget things so I'm appreciative of these moments when I videotaped Ms. Joyce, and she took the time to talk with me and feed me.

Brief History

Wilmar is a small community in southeast Arkansas with a population of 500 plus. The town has held its annual June Dinner/Juneteenth for over 100 years. The event commemorates the abolition of slavery that occurred in Texas, Emancipation Day, June 19, 1865, years after Abraham Lincoln had issued an Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

The celebration began in Wilmar because it is thought that a former slave who originally lived in Wilmar returned from Texas brought this Galveston, Texas tradition of Juneteenth.

More discussion and interviews on the history of June Dinner is in my other essay HERE.

Parade History

Recent Blog Posts

  • Flipping The Parade In Pandemic Times
  • Time Traveling For Ceviche: Armed Forces Day Parade
  • Altruism During Sikh Baisakhi Celebration
  • Cancel Culture, Say It Ain’t So
  • Dogs, Beignets, and Mardi Gras Spirit
  • 10 Foods at the Kingdom Day Parade
  • Thoughts Sprinkled Atop December Parades in California
  • Seeing Witches and Space Guns but not the Cake: Documenting Night Parades
  • Worried About The Future Of Earth, Join The Climate Change Marches
  • Trip To The Equator Via Los Angeles And The Ecuador Parade

parade_talk

Capturing photos/videos of parades, processions, marches, motorcades, and various cultural events in California.

parade_talk
Ride On! Bike Co-Op, Bikes Over Bang’N, and BEGI Ride On! Bike Co-Op, Bikes Over Bang’N, and BEGIN Nonprofit organization in Ride For Justice #rideonbikecoop #bikesoverbangn#bikeshop#rideon #leimertparkvillage #southla #losangeles #california#rideforjustice #bikes#beginnonprofit#leimertpark#blacklivesmatterla#rideonbikeshop #blm
Leimert Park run, walk, and bike-beginning to walk Leimert Park run, walk, and bike-beginning to walk, Black Lives Matter Movement, Los Angeles, CA 6-6-20 #leimertpark #protest_peacefully #blacklivesmatterla #california #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justice #puppy #blm#blmla#justiceforfloyd
Leimert Park run, walk, and bike, Black Lives Matt Leimert Park run, walk, and bike, Black Lives Matter Movement, Los Angeles, CA 6-6-20 #leimertpark #protest_peacefully #blacklivesmatterla #california#justiceforgeorgefloyd#blm #blmla#begin_npo #bikes#rideonbikecoop
Load More... Follow on Instagram

paradetalk Follow

Photos/videos/articles on parades, processions, marches, motorcades, and various cultural events in California/worldwide. Additional photo essays on the website

paradetalk
paradetalk @paradetalk ·

http://enewspaper.latimes.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=8fda7ab3-2376-4fc8-ad19-5aa17fa11585 - Our parade problem

paradetalk @paradetalk ·

Jerusalem bagpipe band from December 2021 - wanted to remember it so retweeted it

paradetalk @paradetalk ·

http://enewspaper.latimes.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=1aa41e3a-4748-4727-8b24-490c0b007923 - Cautious yet we still 'get out and live'

paradetalk @paradetalk ·

http://enewspaper.latimes.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=674a7e17-4af6-4feb-bfd2-9bb0b9587430 - Catholic parade returns to East L.A.

paradetalk @paradetalk ·

http://enewspaper.latimes.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=b298d0da-fada-4253-be69-ece574c90ae7 - Cultural fests, the Disney way

Load More...

Tags

Bangladesh Day Bangladesh Independence Day barbecue bbq BUFLA california ceviche christmas cinco de mayo climate change costume costumes culture d-day dance environment Food Foodways france halloween Hare krishna June Dinner Juneteenth Leimert Park los angeles march military Nowruz parade parade history parade map parades parade talk Persian New Year photos san pedro science fiction social movement Southern California st. patricks day symbols tiff graham tradition united states zombies

Contact Us

  • Email
    tigratime@gmail.com

Developed by Google Partner Wirefreesoft.com

©2022 Parade History | WordPress Theme by Superb WordPress Themes