Our mission
The Emancipation Festival is dedicated to inform and educate, and to recognize and celebrate those who made the Underground Railroad journey possible - from Slavery to Freedom.
Descendants of Blacks who came via the Underground Railroad to settle in freedom, gather at the Emancipation Celebration Picnic every August long weekend, to reminisce and enjoy a time of fellowship. It is an opportunity to give homage to those who paved the way for our emancipation; to celebrate with family, friends, and community; and to celebrate our integration into the local, regional, and national neighborhood.
It is our mandate to:
teach, communicate, and appreciate Black History
acknowledge special contributors to the Underground Railroad Movement and the community
acknowledge special community events such as cultural picnics, reunions, festivals and the arts
support community artists, musicians, poets, business professionals, and church functions
contribute to enterprises recognizing cultural history, genealogy and community impact
Understanding and appreciating one’s roots will make stronger, wiser, and better individuals prepared to manage life’s obstacles and opportunities. The Emancipation Festival is a key venue for meeting these objectives.
Board of Directors
Linda Johnson - Chair
Grantley Blenman - Vice Chair
Ben Heywood-MacLeod - Treasurer
Juanita Christmas - Secretary
Angela Blackburn - Board Member
Bruce Johnson - Board Member
Quirina Johnson - Board Member
Bruce Buchanan - Board Member
About us and the festival
We are descendants, family, friends and allies of the original black settlers of Grey and Simcoe counties who gathered annually since 1862. The Emancipation Festival board of directors works in tandem with numerous community and cultural organizations to recognize Underground Railroad destination points (Owen Sound being the most northerly terminus of the Underground Railroad) and individuals descendent from the slaves who traveled its path. We are a non-political organization and are solely about the historical sharing dedicated to inform and educate.
The long weekend in August commemorates the Emancipation proclamation made in 1834 in honour of John Graves Simcoe and was originally termed Simcoe Day weekend. The Owen Sound Emancipation Celebration Picnic also commemorates the British Commonwealth Emancipation Act of August 1, 1834. Owen Sound and area residents have been celebrating this occasion since 1862 and have incorporated celebrating the United States Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863. In 2021, August 1st was officially proclaimed as Emancipation Day by the Canadian Government.
The Emancipation Festival located in beautiful Grey Bruce and Simcoe Counties celebrates our roots and rich black culture and heritage and has the distinction of being the longest continuously running Emancipation Picnic/Festival in North America.
The picnic recognizes those who made this journey possible, and individuals interested in appreciating history, family, culture, and community are welcome to join in the festivities. The picnic itself was originally organized by the British Methodist Episcopal Church (BME) under the leadership of Pastor Thomas Henry Miller, Father Henson (cousin of Josiah Henson), and others whose intended purpose was to support the unification of Black families in Grey and Simcoe counties. The Emancipation Picnic eventually evolved into the present day Emancipation Festival.
We definitely owe our ancestors a great debt of gratitude for the many accomplishments, challenges, hardships, and struggles that they encountered and endured in their early transition from slavery to free men and women. We celebrate the endurance and strength that we have inherited from our forefathers’ example and remind ourselves that in the 160 years since the Emancipation’s inception, these strengths of character, determination and courage have prevailed.