Join the Emancipation festival in celebrating 162 years since the abolition of slavery in Canada – with groovy funk and soul! Owen Sound was the northernmost terminus of the Underground Railroad, and in the 1850s many Black families journeyed here to put down their roots. Their descendants celebrate this achievement each year with music, picnicking, and reconnection.

 

On Saturday night August 3rd, after the festivities in Harrison Park simmer down, move on up to Heartwood Hall – the last stop on the Freedom Train. Juno-nominated BLACKBURN BROTHERS are going to set the groove, and the stage may see a special guest or two! Come celebrate with us. All community members are welcome to this afterparty – so long as you’re ready to dance!

 

Funds raised through ticket sales will go toward the Owen Sound Emancipation Festival, a small non-profit organization with a mandate to organize this annual celebration and promote Black history in the area.