Lansing creative group leads 517 Juneteenth weekend, spotlighting culture and community

Lansing’s arts district was packed Saturday with vendors and food trucks, many decorated in black, green, yellow and red. The festival, held in REO Town, was hosted by Ourspace Creative as part of the annual 517 Juneteenth weekend celebration.

The 517 Juneteenth weekend kicked off Thursday, June 19, with a seminar and mixer focused on Black wellness. On Friday, Ourspace hosted an ice cream social ahead of Saturday’s festival. The weekend wrapped up with a jazz night Sunday evening.

The event has been held annually in REO Town since 2021, the year Juneteenth became a federally recognized holiday. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

More than 80 vendors participated in the festival, aimed at spotlighting Black-owned businesses. 15 food trucks served up meals — and free fries — next to a stage featuring live performances throughout the day. A nearby lot housed the Kidz Zone, complete with basketball and a bounce house.

“For us, it’s important to create those spaces where it’s not just one way to celebrate,” said Mikey Austin, the Executive Director of Ourspace Creative. “So whether that’s the business, whether that’s through different genres of music, we try to celebrate the entire black experience, because it’s not always something that is readily available, especially in this community, so we try to create those opportunities as much as possible.”

First-time vendor Kiyuana Chappell came to the festival to promote TruForever, her sustainable women’s fashion brand.

“I love clothing. I love fashion,” Chappell said. “I’ve always wanted to have my own brand and have my own business and work for myself.”

For Chappell, a highlight of the fair was getting to “network with other business owners, spread brand awareness, pass out my cards and just enjoy the day,” she said. 

Austin said one of the most rewarding parts of the event is hearing from vendors who hit record-breaking sales in just one afternoon.

Ourspace begins vendor outreach months in advance, though some — like Chappell — secure a spot by reaching out through social media.

Anaiyah Brewer, marketing and communications manager at Ourspace, has helped organize the event for the past two years. Although the group also hosts community events like Hispanic Heritage weekend in September, Brewer said the Juneteenth celebration remains her favorite.

To Brewer, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, unity and legacy—a way to honor what her ancestors fought so long for.

“We don’t have people pay when they enter, because we want to make sure people feel celebrated,” she said. “This is an opportunity for us to unite and to celebrate each other.”

What makes Juneteenth so meaningful, Brewer said, is the ability to celebrate what the Black community once could not.

Ourspace creative director Martin Hernandez said inclusion is central to the group’s mission.

“I just feel like there’s not too many places that are highlighting a community, especially, for instance, Hispanic heritage like mine — I don’t really see that everywhere,” Hernandez said. “So for us to take that in our hands and be like, let’s do something for this specific culture or group of people, it just feels good.”

Brewer emphasized the importance of finding “pockets of great moments” during uncertain times—“even though there’s a lot of other issues going on.”

“It takes a village,” she said.

As the music faded and vendors packed up, what remained was the spirit of celebration, resilience and shared purpose. For organizers and attendees alike, the 517 Juneteenth weekend wasn’t just about honoring history — it was about building a future where community, culture and belonging are at the center.