- June 19, 2021
- Posted by: Stratford Team
- Category: Business
PORTLAND , ME – JUNE 17: Joe Kings will be throwing his annual Juneteenth party at his car care business again this year Thursday, June 16, 2021. (Staff Photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer)
Joe Kings was used to big Juneteenth celebrations in Texas, where community parties centered on food, music, family and honoring the day when the last enslaved people in the state were granted their freedom.
Then he moved to Maine.
“When I got here, I didn’t see any of that,” he said. “I said ‘Let’s start it.’”
Kings, who moved to Portland while serving in the Army, opened his business car detailing business, Ultimate Car Care, in 1995 and threw his first Juneteenth party the following year. The annual event has grown into a large celebration that has helped introduce the tradition and significance of Juneteenth to many in the community.
This year, as Kings gathers with family and friends, Juneteenth is being celebrated for the…
