TIA President Inger Neal Visits With WNEG About Juneteenth Celebration

The 2024 Juneteenth Celebration will take place tomorrow, June 15, in downtown Toccoa, with vendors and activities set up along Doyle Street. Local shops will also be open. There will be food vendors, arts and crafts, community resources and entertainment. There is no charge to attend the event, which starts at 11 a.m. and will blend into the evening’s Ida Cox Festival, featuring Toccoa native Scoot Teasley. 

This year, the first of 2024’s Cruzin’ Down Doyle will take place in conjunction with the Juneteenth Celebration.  Main Street Toccoa will host the event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants will be on Doyle St from Sage St to Alexander St.  Cars, trucks, motorcycles, and tractors of any year will be welcome. 

Participants can register at the intersection of Doyle St and Alexander St. There is no registration fee. Festivities will end at approximately 10 p.m. 

Earlier this year, in February, Stephens County Commissioners approved the addition of two holidays to the roster of county employee holidays; Presidents day on Feb. 19 and Juneteenth, which is officially celebrated on June 19. 

On June 29, 2022, the Toccoa City Commission adopted a Juneteenth Proclamation. The Proclamation, presented by then-mayor Jeanette Jamieson, recognizes Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, as being celebrated each year on June 19 in the United States of America to commemorate the end of slavery.

WNEG News sat down on June 13 with Inger Neal, current President of the Toccoa Improvement Association, or TIA, which is hosting this weekend’s Juneteenth Celebration.

Neal gave an overview of TIA and their mission in the community.

She talked about the partnership with the city in bringing the event together this year.

She then described the support the event has been given by local residents and businesses and detailed the schedule of activities that would take place Saturday.

 

One of the new features this year will be the walking and driving tours offered at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

There is no fee for the walking or driving tours, but they are first come, first served.

She spoke about the Ida Cox Music Series concert scheduled to follow the Juneteenth Celebration, and the local talent that will provide the opening acts, as well as headlining artist and Toccoa Native, Scoot Teasley.

Neal also spoke with WNEG about the history of Juneteenth, and the spirit behind the celebration, explaining that, while the event will be a fun day for attendees, there is also lessons to be learned and thought about during the Celebration.

She said that there will be many opportunities for learning, and for advancing the objectives of equality.

She stressed that Juneteenth is about inclusion, not division, and it is not intended to be a replacement for other cultural and historical traditions, but an acknowledgement of historical facts and a celebration of all freedoms.

Neal pointed out that, although the event is occurring in Toccoa, and many of the partnerships that formed to put the event together are with city officials, there has also be increased communication with and support from the county.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/TIA4Toccoa.