In early June, the Gammon House will host
their 20th annual Juneteenth Fatherfest. The multi-day community event commemorates the anniversary of the June 19, 1865, final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery in the United States.
Since its inception, the collaborative event has been chiefly organized by
The Gammon House, a historically significant stop on the Underground Railroad. Originally built in 1850 by George and Sarah Gammon, the property is recognized as one of only three stops in Ohio owned by free people of color during the time of slavery.
The Gammon House has been organizing Juneteenth events long before it became a federal holiday in 2021. It’s regarded as one of, if not the longest-running, Juneteenth events in the Midwest. It’s an event so ingrained into the locale that when the organizers started preparing, it didn’t immediately sink in that 2025 was a milestone year.
![]()
In 2019, the Juneteenth Celebration at The Gammon House included food, rides for kids, vendors, tours of the historical home and more.“I think each year, we get so wrapped up in the planning of this event, it was kind of just happenstance of going over previous years’ materials that we were like, ‘Okay, that year was 18, and that would make last year 19,’ ” says Gammon House Board Member Camille Buford, “and we kind of just stumbled upon, ‘Oh, my goodness, this is 20 years.’”
To highlight the anniversary,
this year’s event will include a grand opening ceremony for the George and Sarah Gammon Discovery Walk on June 7 at 11 a.m. Buford describes it as an interactive pathway and a permanent installation at the Gammon House that will allow visitors to revisit the pathway of those who once sought freedom in the North. It symbolizes the journey from the Ohio River to Lake Erie along old Route 68, with secret stops along the way.
The ribbon-cutting for the Discovery Walk will run in tandem with the Gammon House’s regular monthly open house tours, which go from 1 to 3 p.m.
![]()
Juneteenth Fatherfest The Gammon House relies a great deal on donors, and the Discovery Walk was aided by donations from Clark County Convention Facilities and the Hank Jud Memorial Fund. Dr. Henry “Hank” Jud will be commemorated with a memorial bench that will be dedicated as part of the first day’s activities.
On June 13, at 9 a.m. at St. John Missionary Baptist Church (34 W. Pleasant St.), the celebration will include the annual
Together We Rise Prayer Breakfast. St. John’s has been a recurring partner since the event’s inception, providing a location for the breakfast.
“That’s a time when we try to re-center the community,” says Buford. “The prayer breakfast is really that time, a call to action, reminding everyone of the purpose of our organization and the importance of celebrating Juneteenth and its historical significance.
“Not only to America, but also to Springfield. That’s really what our organization is all about.”
This year’s prayer breakfast keynote speaker is the Reverend Raymond Caruthers, an award-winning educator and school administrator, as well as a distinguished religious leader in Ohio. He is currently an Associate Minister with the Mt. Baptist Church in Columbus, where he has served as Adult Sunday School Superintendent, instructor of the Men’s Class, and Minister of Marriage Enrichment.
“The theme of the entirety of this Juneteenth celebration is the progression of the church from safehouse to freedom,” Buford explains. “This year really has that focus.”
The Fatherfest celebration follows on June 14, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Gammon House (620 Piqua Place). There will be entertainment, local vendor exhibits, food trucks, as well as activities for children and adults.
![]()
Vendors at Juneteenth Fatherfest“There’s a variety of cuisines, there’s a variety of merchandise vendors selling anything from handmade beaded jewelry to T-shirts, to authors who have original works and books, artists selling their works and wares,” says Buford. “It gives the feel of this community market. It’s just a good time.”
The event has always coincided with Father’s Day weekend, and a partnership with Urban Life Ministries brings the fatherhood aspect to the day. Members of the community can nominate fathers for the
Good Dad of the Year Award, which will be handed out on June 14.
The list of sponsors that assist in making the event possible is extensive. Buford says the event is not possible without their support.
“It’s a joint effort, definitely not possible at the capacity that we do it without sponsors,” Buford explains. “Not saying that we haven’t felt the impact with everything’s that been going on in regard to federal grant availability – allotments and DEI rollbacks – but, thankfully, we have been blessed to receive sponsorships that will allow us to still maintain the same level of celebration that the community has come to expect.”
With more than 2,000 attendees across the various events, the celebration has grown exponentially over time. Though the math has changed over two decades as the event’s scope has broadened, organizers have learned how to adapt to keep up the attendee experience, Buford says.
“I would by no means call us experts,” she said, “but the amount of time and history that we have planning this event, putting on this event, really truly benefits us in holding this every year.”
All Juneteenth Fatherfest events are free and open to the public. The prayer breakfast requires prior registration, which can be completed at the
Gammon House website. Nomination forms for Good Dad of the Year can be found at the
Urban Light Ministries site.