Great art, music, and conversation were painted in Juno Todd’s mind when he decided to help organize Fredericksburg’s Black Arts Festival. The event was held simultaneously at two locations this past Saturday, filling much of downtown with music and artistry.
Riverfront Park hosted spectators from noon to 5:30 p.m., while the Market Square location downtown began at noon and wrapped up at 7 p.m. Under Todd’s direction, the Fredericksburg Area Museum (FAM) and the City of Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation teamed up to unveil a reimagined festival.
FAM’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of African American artists and community pioneers in Fredericksburg, aiming to immerse the community in diverse culture, art, and music, according to the museum’s website.
Todd is the son of Gaye Adegbalola, Blues Music Award winner and civil rights activist, and the grandson of Clarence Todd. In the mid-1970s, Clarence Todd founded a Harambe experimental theater organization for area youth. For 49 years, Fredericksburg periodically hosted The Black Arts Festival in recognition of Clarence’s contributions.
“My vision was to have multiple locations celebrating my grandfather’s legacy, while giving art and music lovers a space to come together and bring African American artistry to the forefront of the community,” Todd said.
FAM’s Vice President of Programs and Interpretation, Gaila Sims, expressed support for Todd’s vision.
“We wanted local musicians and artists to showcase their work all day through drawings, paintings, and music at both locations,” Sims said.
Former FAM Curator Sarah Ernst initially reached out to Todd early last year, hoping to involve the family in promoting African American art and culture. In June 2023, Juno spoke at Ernst’s FAM event titled “SEEN” and agreed to continue collaborating with FAM on African American art and cultural initiatives. He began preparing for the festival earlier this year.
“I was happy Sarah reached out to continue my family’s tradition, the partnership felt genuinely meaningful,” Todd said.
He reminisced about the theater’s early days, recalling figures like Xavier Richardson, Marci Catlett, and Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater, as well as memories of Bragg Hill and Hazel Hill children gathering at the theater.
Shortly after noon, Catlett, superintendent of Fredericksburg City Schools, delivered an opening speech on the significance of The Black Arts Festival and her personal connection to Harambe.
Catlett highlighted the festival’s creative energy, which empowers young people to share knowledge and gain confidence throughout the community. She told the crowd of about 100 people that she started attending the theater at age 11.
Local artists, including Blessed Hands, the NAACP Fredericksburg Chapter, Alluring Expressions, and LeRoy Brown Art, proudly displayed their work. Jeanette Holland, the owner of Blessed Hands, shared her journey of teaching herself art over the past eight years.
Monique C.W., a local artist, displays her work at the Black Arts Festival. (Photo by Jamar Billingsley)
“I was always fascinated by quilts as a child and eventually started making my own,” she said. “My proudest moment was creating a quilt for my daughter when she joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.”
Brown, another artist from the area, was excited to display his work at the Black Arts Festival for the second consecutive year. He was seen discussing his painting of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill with attendees.
The festival concluded with a performance by Xpress Band, a local go-go music group, from 6-7 p.m.
“I know they’re going to end the day on a high note,” Todd said. “We’ll give people time to get over from Riverfront Park to see the finale.”
