Juneteenth Festival shrinks to single day after ‘sharp decline in corporate sponsorships’
Festival organizer Norman Harris vowed to continue with the festival no matter the budget shortfall.
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Denver’s annual Juneteenth Music Festival will this year shrink to a single day as organizers grapple with an $80,000 funding shortfall.
JMF Corporation, the nonprofit led by Five Points entrepreneur Norman Harris, is appealing to the public for support after “a sharp decline in corporate sponsorships,” according to a statement from Harris, leading to a significant funding gap.
Harris said the festival will return to the Five Points neighborhood — Denver’s historic seat of Black culture — on Sunday, June 15.
“The decision to scale back follows the loss of several long-time sponsors amid shifting corporate priorities and a changing philanthropic landscape,” according to festival publicist Sylvia Lambe of Lambe PR.
Juneteenth leaders declined to share the list of 2024 sponsors who are not returning for 2025, as in some cases, “no clear reasoning has been provided,” they said in response to a Denver Post inquiry. Last year’s festival budget was $325,000, Lamb said.
Sponsors from 2024, such as Coors Light and Xcel Energy, did not immediately respond to The Denver Post requests for comment, including whether they’ll be returning this year.
Juneteenth leaders declined to say “definitively” whether the pullback was related to a retreat from “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI) policies, funding and initiatives at businesses and foundations nationwide since Donald Trump became president.
“Only the organizations themselves can speak to their internal decisions,” Lambe PR wrote to The Denver Post.
“Despite the financial setback, the mission remains strong,” Lambe continued. “The festival will still feature live commissions, the historic Juneteenth Parade … and a showcase of Black-owned businesses bringing powerful moments of unity and celebration to the streets of Five Points.”
People can donate to the festival at juneteenthmusicfestival.com/donate.
