CITY OF KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) - Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan is the Grand Marshall for Katy's first Juneteenth parade and festival set for Monday morning, June 19, 2023.
The Katy Texas African American Heritage Society, established in April 2022, is hosting the parade and festival.The parade begins at 11 at the intersection of Pin Oak and Roberts Roads. See the parade route below.
"Since 1865, African Americans have made Katy, Texas, their home," the organizers wrote. "After emancipation, early Black pioneers like Milton McGinnis acquired 200 acres of land along the western portion of the Buffalo Bayou in an area once known as Cane Island. Soon many other Black families joined him, and the area just south of the railroad tracks in Katy became home to a thriving Black community."
The heritage society says most African American Katy residents were rice farmers, as well as business and property owners.
"These Black families started businesses like the Buzzy Bee Cafe, shoe shops, and more," the Heritage Society says. "Today, descendants of the original families still call Katy home. It's been 154 years since those early settlers came to the Katy area, and we're going to celebrate."
Parade participants will line up along Rogers Street beginning at Pin Oak. The parade route will continue south along Danover Road, turning right onto Woodsland Park. Those who watch the parade are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
The festival is from 12-3 p.m. It will feature art, food, games, giveaways, prizes, and vendor booths. There will also be an art and cultural exhibition.
Organizers say the festival will provide a chance to meet and greet legacy families with longstanding ties to the Katy area.
Katy Texas African American Heritage Society
The route for the first annual Katy Juneteenth parade