A Juneteenth Celebration to Remember

This is late, lazy and incomplete but I can’t let this one pass by without noting, for the historical record: holy shit. This Saturday in downtown Burlington, there will be amazing entertainment everywhere you turn, more or less all day long. That is thanks to Burlington’s REIB Committee — that’s “Racial, Equity Inclusion & Belonging” which reads like a mighty broad & ambitious mandate — and especially thanks to DJ, promoter, marketer and fixer Luis Calderin.

The crew got thrown a serious curveball this week. On Wednesday, just as Seven Days went to print with Chris Farnsworth penning a spotlight piece about the event, the headliner cancelled. That would be the dynamite live celebration that is Arrested Development, who were forced to bow out because leading man Speech is undergoing some seriously scary health problems in the middle of their triumphant tour. That man is a national treasure and we need him here for another four or five decades. At least.

In land speed record of a turnaround, just over 24 hours later, a new headliner was announced: none other than Slick Rick, a rap legend with a career spanning … well, pretty much all of hip hop. Every era, every phase, every generation, Rick the Ruler has been slaying onstage, coining catchphrases, and dropping unforgettable tracks. He’ll be touching down at the Flynn on Saturday night along with a slew of worthy opening acts.

Earlier, there will be a ton of talent rocking on Church Street, so you simply cannot go wrong. Go catch some live culture downtown tomorrow. This is one of the biggest events of the year.