What you need to know about the 2021 Let the Good Times Roll festival

Spend the weekend of June 17 celebrating and commemorating black history and culture at the 34th annual Let the Good Times Roll festival.

June 19, June 19, commemorates the day slaves in Galveston, Texas learned they were free on June 19, 1863. The news came more than two years after the publication of the Emancipation Proclamation. Today Juneteenth marks a moment to educate, pay homage, uplift and present Black culture and history.

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At Shreveport this weekend, LTGTR will be three days of community outreach and entertainment for the public. The festival will feature a variety of food options and styles, art dealers, health and wellness resources, fashion, music, activities and more for the whole family.

After a year-long hiatus, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival will return June 18-20 to Festival Plaza, located at 101 Crockett St. in downtown Shreveport.

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“I call this a Shreveport family reunion,” said Vencil Holmes, event planner and member of Rho Omega and Friends, Inc. “It will be a city-wide family reunion because all of our friends and we miss our family who would normally come out to the festival We have people who have attended almost every festival… This is important to our tri-state area and our city.

Hours and fees

Festival hours are 6 p.m. to midnight Friday, 8 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday.

General admission is $ 15. VIP seat is $ 60 and access to the VIP tent is $ 500 which includes exclusive seating and other perks. Free parking will be available in the evenings and on weekends at the street counters surrounding the outdoor site.

Entertainment

Live music will fill Festival Plaza with genres such as blues, gospel, hip-hop and R&B. This year’s headliners are R&B legends Johnny Gill and Keke Wyatt, and many other national, regional and local artists will join them on stage.

Friday, a children / health zone, presented by the Parish Commission of Caddo, will be hosted on stage. DJ Bryson will provide music and RISE will host workouts from 9 a.m. to noon.

DJ Breeze of Cumulus Media will host the evening’s events. The festival weekend officially kicks off at 6 p.m. with a performance of the black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”. The evening will take place with entertainment by Soul Grooves (6.30 p.m.), Jeter Jones (8.30 p.m.), Vick Allen (9.45 p.m.) and Keke Wyatt will close the first evening (11.00 p.m.).

On Saturday the day will begin with the first LTGTR Freedom Bike Ride in June through the city. The slow roll for all ages and community wide will run from 9:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and start and end at Festival Plaza. The 13 km route will pass through the city center and historic districts with civil rights sites along the way. Registrations will open at 8 a.m. The cycling event is provided by SB Rides, LLC. The Freedom Ride costs $ 25 per rider, which includes a t-shirt and water.

Several events will be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays on the Critton / Lester Main Stage. SUSLA Allied Health Department will host a health fair. Free COVID-19 vaccines will be administered by LSU Health Shreveport. A free NAACP legal clinic, provided by Black Lawyers in Shreveport / Bossier, will help the public. And free haircuts will be offered by Bos-Man’s Barber College.

LTGTR’s partial proceeds will benefit the Shreveport Lamplighters of Rho Omega and Friends, Inc., a mentorship program for young black men at high schools in Shreveport-Bossier City. A scholarship ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m. for graduate students who wish to apply for their college / university studies.

J Scooter from Cumulus Media will liven up the entertainment scene. Saturday night’s musical lineup will be Devine with Marcia Nelson (4:30 p.m.), Tipsey Band (6 p.m.), Southern Komfort Brass Band (8 p.m.), Windstorm (9.45 p.m.), ending with a moving performance by Johnny Gill (11 p.m.).

Sunday, the event will begin with gospel performances by the Murff Brothers, Bertrand Bailey, Jr., and Lynn Lockhart (4 p.m.) then Kim Lumzy (5.10 p.m.). The music will continue with Lakesha Sings (5:45 p.m.), B. Cam and the Zydeco Young Bucks (6:10 p.m.), and soul / blues singer Crystal Thomas (7:30 p.m.). The last artists to take the stage will be Bagg Boyz (9 p.m.), Slim Thug (9:45 p.m.) and Ready for the World with Melvin Riley (10:30 p.m.).

For guests coming into town – or locals needing a “stay” – hotel packages with special rates are available at select Shreveport-Bossier City destinations.

To purchase tickets online, a list of participating hotels and other details, visit rhoomega.com. For more details on the event, visit facebook.com/LetTheGoodTimesRollFestival.