As 146 years of tradition dictate, the last weekend in July people from around the country will gather in Nicodemus, Kansas for their annual Homecoming Emancipation Celebration. This year, the annual gathering of Nicodemus descendants, friends, well-wishers and tourists, will be held Thurs., July 25 – Sun. July 28.
The celebration kicks off on Thursday with the annual meetings of organizations supporting Nicodemus including the Nicodemus Historical Emancipation Celebrating LLC., National Park Service, Nicodemus Township Board and the Nicodemus Historic Landmark District Association. The Kansas Black Farmers Association will also hold its quarterly meeting in conjunction with the celebration.
Thursday evening wraps with “Meet and Greet; Beans and Jeans” hosted by the Nicodemus Historical Society. The public is welcome to attend.
Friday morning starts with the free Cowboy Breakfast, hosted by the family of Freddie and Ivalee Switzer. Activities throughout the day include the Live Family Tree and stories by the Sunshine Storyteller “Ina Buckner-Barnette”
Friday evening activities include late-night Karaoke.
On Saturday, contributing partner the Kansas Black Farmers Association, will sponsor the 5K Run/Walk and the complimentary pancake breakfast. At 11 a.m., the 146th Homecoming Emancipation Celebration Parade begins.
Also on Saturday, the National Park Service will discuss Brown v. Board of Education in recognition of the historic lawsuit’s 70th anniversary. Other afternoon activities include a fashion/talent show, watermelon Feed, and gospel/soul singing.
For youth, on Saturday afternoon there will be a Team Hollywood Celebrity Streetball special 3-on-3 basketball tournament featuring Team Hollywood’s very own former LA Lakers player Clay Johnson #34 in person with his NBA Championship Ring.
Friday and Saturday there will be a “Kids Corner” full of activities to entertain youth and teach them history. On Saturday, The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center will be on-site for play. Sunflower Health Plan sponsors this Mobile Museum.
On Saturday night, homecoming guests can enjoy soul, R&B, old-school classics and funk music from Denver headliner Ron Ivory and the Miles Apart Band. Guess should bring their lawn chairs for sitting.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nicodemus Historical Society, will show the short film “Robert and Billie” on the big screen, followed by the documentary “Ellis Trail to Nicodemus.”
Homecoming winds down Sunday with traditional church service, pastor ordainment and community dinner at the Nicodemus First Baptist Church and the Township Hall.
There will be food and retail vendors on-site throughout the weekend. Enjoy the delectable “Tastes of Nicodemus” and enjoy some unique shopping. Also, throughout the weekend end, guests will enjoy the sounds played by DJ Storyteller who will be broadcasting through the park.
Finally, event planners say they can’t make this happen without financial help and ask you to consider donating to keep the tradition going. Donations can be mailed to: Nicodemus Homecoming Emancipation Celebration (NHEC), P.O. Box 3, Hill City, KS 67642.
Wonderful