2 summer kickoff events in Denver struggle to find normal funding

As the weather continues to get warmer in the Mile High City, people are going to want to get out of their homes and find something to do. But two of Denver's most popular summer kickoff events are having a hard time finding funding.

One of them is the annual Juneteenth celebration. For at least the past 60 years, every June, Denver's Five Points neighborhood has been celebrating the holiday, which is a celebration of the emancipation of Black slaves after centuries of bondage in the U.S.

"I call it a cultural treasure chest," said Norman Harris the executive director of JMF Corporation, the charity that organizes Juneteenth. "It's really like a reunion and a great launch to the summer."

For the past few years, the festival has grown into a two-day event that includes vendors, musicians and a parade. But this year is shaping up to look much different.

"Unfortunately, we'll be doing it on a Sunday and not both Saturday and Sunday," Harris explained.

Harris says they have lost corporate sponsors. Some they've had for more than 10 years, and he isn't sure why.

"Companies and organizations, people are going to put their money where their hearts are, and so, at some point, the Juneteenth celebration has just been deprioritized," Harris said.

They aren't alone. The Center on Colfax, which organizes Pride month, which also takes place in June, says it too has seen a dip in funding. In a statement, The Center on Colfax, said, "Denver Pride has experienced a decrease in funding when compared to previous years for our festival, parade and 5K. Some organizations that have participated in years past have only been able to return at lower levels of sponsorship, and others have even been unable to return entirely due to rollbacks of DEI budgets caused by national legislation."

"Denver Pride is unique from other pride events of our size in that it is both entirely free to attend and serves as the biggest annual fundraiser for our local LGBTQ+ community center, The Center on Colfax," the statement continued. "Eighty-three percent of all contributions to The Center are directed back to our community through the vital programming we offer year-round to our LGBTQ+ community free-of-charge. The decrease in funding we are experiencing puts these critical services at risk, such as mental health support, programming for our trans and gender diverse community, youth, older adults, and more."

"We are grateful for our partners who have returned and the members of the LGBTQ+ employee resource groups who have made significant efforts to continue funding us, as this allows us to keep Denver Pride an accessible, free event for our community," ended the statement.

Organizers for both events haven't given up yet. They say they are still raising money to try to bring the best experience possible to the people.  

Harris says he isn't sure if DEI rollbacks are to blame for his funding shortages, but, regardless, he and his crew will put on the best event money will allow.

"Oh, there's definitely going to be a Juneteenth celebration. It's a part of the core fabric of this city's cultural experience," Harris said.