COVINGTON, Ga. — The county and city governments have joined forces to give the longtime organizer of Covington’s annual Juneteenth parade a break from the usual rental and parade fees she pays to organize the event.

Terri James said she will be able to save thousands she and her husband normally would spend from their personal funds after the city of Covington agreed to pay the parade fee and insurance and Newton County government planned to cover the cost of renting Legion Field.

“They took care of Juneteenth and that’s what I’ve been asking for for years,” she said. “It’s a blessing that they come on board now and help us out.”

Covington City Council voted to waive parade fees for the event, which is planned for Saturday, June 18, at 10 a.m. to celebrate the nation’s newest national holiday.

County Chairman Marcello Banes announced at the end of the Newton County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, June 7, that the county would pay the facility rental cost, which James estimated was about $1,500.

“We want to make sure that we partner with Juneteenth,” Banes said. “We partner with the Chamber and other (groups) like that in the community. I want to make sure that we partner with Juneteenth and pay for rental of Legion Field.”

Banes said the funds were available in the county budget in a line item designated for events and he approved the expenditure as an operational expense. 

James said it is the first time both governments donated money to the event — which she has helped organize for about 15 years.

“I’ve been maxing out my credit cards. All the events ... I’ve been doing it myself,” James said. “I might get a few donations but not that much.”

She said others in the community helped her organize and fund Juneteenth events in the early years of Covington’s part of the national celebration. 

However, they gradually stopped for a variety of reasons and she chose to continue organizing because of her interest in spreading the word about the need to celebrate the formerly little-known historical event that marked the de facto end of slavery in the U.S. on June 19, 1865.   

The parade will line up at Legion Field at 3173 Mill St. It will travel west beginning at 10 a.m. along Newton Street, circle the Covington Square and return along the same route to Legion Field. Learn more at georgiajuneteenth.com.