Juneteenth Foodways Festival Partner Application

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Want to be a food or retail partner at the 4th annual Juneteenth Foodways Festival at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site? Here’s what you need to know:

What is the Juneteenth Foodways Festival?

The Juneteenth Foodways Festival, made possible through the generosity of Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, celebrates the many ways in which Black culinary traditions have influenced American culture by exploring the story of White House Chef Dolly Johnson and promoting local Black-owned businesses. The public is invited to join us at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site for this free event to sample the delectable offerings of our local Black-owned food partners, browse our retail partner booths, and learn about Dolly Johnson, the White House Chef hired by President Benjamin Harrison, who served four US Presidents.

The 2025 Juneteenth Foodways Festival will be open to the public on Friday, June 13 2025, from 4:30-8:00 pm. Early Access Pass holders are welcome from 3:30PM-4:30PM. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged to avoid long entrance lines. Tickets will be available in mid-April.

Who was Dolly Johnson and how is she being celebrated?

Dolly Johnson was a renowned Black caterer and chef from Lexington, Kentucky, hired by President Benjamin Harrison in 1889 to replace the French chef who was employed at the White House when he took office. Johnson would go on to bring All-American cooking to the tables of three additional administrations: Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt. After leaving the White House, Johnson returned to Kentucky and opened several successful restaurants in Lexington.

The Juneteenth Foodways event highlights Dolly Johnson’s legacy with an emphasis on Black culture and food throughout the festival. We are partnering with Freetown Village actors and interpreters, who will bring Johnson’s story to life. Food partners are required to recreate on of Dolly Johnson’s recipes. Attendees will vote on their favorite Dolly Johnson recreation and winners will receive cash prizes.

Who can apply to be a Juneteenth Foodways Festival Partner?

We welcome applications from Black-owned restaurants, food trucks, caterers, retailers, artists, and more from across central Indiana!

Why partner with the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site?

The inaugural Juneteenth Foodways festival in 2022 welcomed over 1,100 guests. By 2024, attendance lept to 2,200. The 2025 event is expected to be even larger yet! Participating in the Juneteenth Foodways festival will expose your business to a diverse array of potential new customers from across central Indiana.

The Presidential Site hopes to make your participation in this event as logistically smooth as possible. Approved partners will have access to: two 8ft tables, four chairs, linens, one 8ft white tent (food partners only), personalized signage, handwashing stations, electric, and other resources upon request. All partners will be required to provide their own payment system, and 100% of the proceeds from sales at the event go to the participating partner.

What will the day of the event look like?

Juneteenth Foodways partners are welcome to begin load in at 9:00 AM on June 13, 2025.  All partners must be completely set up NO LATER THAN 3:00 PM on June 13th.

Early Access Pass guests will begin arriving at 3:30 PM. The grounds will open at 4:30 all other guests.

Guests are welcome to tour the first floor of the residence during the event. Other entertainment, including a DJ, live food demos, and Freetown Village performances will be taking place across the Presidential Site grounds. Tear down will begin promptly at 8:00 PM. All equipment must be removed from the Presidential Site that night.

How to apply?

Food partners will be asked to offer 4-5 moderately priced menu options for the event, which will be included in their application. Potential food partners are strongly encouraged to focus on developing small portion offerings, as guests will enjoy purchasing food from multiple vendors rather than getting an entire meal from one vendor. Applications are open until February 28, 2025. Fill out your application online by clicking “Apply Now” below.

Please note that this is a competitive application process. Make your application stand out by highlighting menu and retail items that speak to the cultural heritage and contributions of Black foodways to American culture and  submitting images of your menu items or products. Your application must be received by the event organizers no later than February 28, 2025. If selected, you will be notified by email by April 14, 2025. Only fully completed applications received by the deadline will be considered. If you have any questions, please contact Tamara Harris, Special Event Coordinator at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site at THarris@bhpsite.org.