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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 11, 2025
Contact: Kim Wells, Public Relations and Marketing Specialist, 804-217-1077, kim.wells@dcr.virginia.gov

Juneteenth celebrations to be held at Twin Lakes and Pocahontas state parks
Learn about the state parks history and culture through hands-on experiences

(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Dedication sign of Group Camp 7 )

(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Historical dedication at Twin Lakes State Park)

CHESTERFIELD and GREEN BAY, VA – Pocahontas and Twin Lakes state parks will host events in honor of Juneteenth between June 15 and 21 that highlight each park’s unique historical and cultural resources.

Each park will reflect on the past to help future generations better understand the lands they recreate on with hands-on and self-guided activities. Juneteenth is a federal holiday celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the ending of slavery.

Twin Lakes State Park will offer three activities between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on June 15 and guests can easily enjoy them all at their own pace.

Programs include an oral history at the park’s discovery center that features a display celebrating its civil rights history. Guests are encouraged to visit the history interview station and share their experiences during their visit to the park to preserve their story. The other two programs are self-guided and include a Junior Rangers activity book and a geocaching adventure.

“We are proud to share the history with our guests so future generations can understand the importance of the park’s natural, historical and cultural resources,” said Twin Lakes State Park Manager Kevin Faubion. “Our park has something for everyone to enjoy and we hope you come out and share your park stories with us.”

Pocahontas State Park will host two days of programs on June 19 and 21 that allow guests to experience the park and understand the impact that Black artists, conservationists and soldiers made in the past that are still prevalent today.

June 19 programs include Art in the Park: Celebrating Black Artist and Conservationist from noon until 2 p.m. and this event will celebrate the creativity and culture that African-Americans bring to this area. Later that day will be a play called Our Man Mitchell: The Life and Times of John Mitchell from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. This play focuses on the late 19th Century Richmond journalist, John H. Mitchell Jr., Editor in Chief of The Richmond Planet. The play is performed by the youth that attend the theater program at Pine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center. Pine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center is a Richmond City Park that is partnering with Pocahontas State Park to share the history of the area.

On June 21, guests can experience a lively discussion with Henricus Historical Park staff with a program called The Forgotten Soldiers of Juneteenth: The 116th United States Colored Troops of Dutch Gap Canal from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Guests will be able to learn Chesterfield's ties to Galveston, Texas through photos, memorabilia and discussion with historians. The afternoon program is called Group Camp 7: A 5-mile Hike Through History from 4 p.m.- 6 p.m. The hike starts at the Bright Hope Horse Complex and gives guests the opportunity to traverse paths that were once marked by segregation, reflecting on how these landscapes played a role in shaping the history of Black recreation.

“Parks are for everyone to enjoy, and it is important to understand that this recreational park was built on farmland and timbered forest by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC),” said Pocahontas State Park Manager Nate Clark. “It was also a recreation area for soldiers during World War II and these programs celebrate Black Culture, resilience and joy while maintaining a safe and inclusive space for all to recreate.”

For more information about Twin Lakes State Park and Pocahontas State Park, visit their website.

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