The city of Pittsburgh on Thursday said it had selected an agency to run a city-sponsored Juneteenth celebration, while the organizer of an existing, long-running Juneteenth event says that one will still go on in Point State Park.B. Marshall, organizer of the existing Juneteenth event, said that he believes the city’s plan would improperly use federal funds intended for independent promoters to produce events with local artists. He also alleges the city created a request for proposals process that was “steered to its personal promotion company.””That’s absolutely not the case,” Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. “All of the applications or responses were assessed equally by a panel of folks representing numerous agencies within the city that have a role to play in this process. They were scored according to the city’s standard criteria and procedure, and ultimately, the selection was made on that basis.”Pawlak said the claim that the city can’t use the funds in this way is incorrect.The city has picked Bounce Marketing & Events, led by Fantasy Zellars. She said her agency has a proven track record with local and national experience.Among the local events that Bounce has created were the August Wilson birthday celebration for the past seven years and Mayor Ed Gainey’s inauguration swearing-in and gala.Pawlak indicates that personal ties to Gainey are not what sealed the deal.”It’s true that the city has partnered with Bounce and Fantasy Zellars events in the past, and that she does have a role in the Pittsburgh Paints initiative led by Mrs. Gainey, but they are a national event promotion company that has ample experience in doing events of this type and scale, not just here in Pittsburgh but across the country,” Pawlak said.There has been no official announcement of where the city-sponsored Juneteenth event will be staged.Marshall said he and others will hold a news conference at Point State Park on Friday.
The city of Pittsburgh on Thursday said it had selected an agency to run a city-sponsored Juneteenth celebration, while the organizer of an existing, long-running Juneteenth event says that one will still go on in Point State Park.
B. Marshall, organizer of the existing Juneteenth event, said that he believes the city’s plan would improperly use federal funds intended for independent promoters to produce events with local artists. He also alleges the city created a request for proposals process that was “steered to its personal promotion company.”
“That’s absolutely not the case,” Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. “All of the applications or responses were assessed equally by a panel of folks representing numerous agencies within the city that have a role to play in this process. They were scored according to the city’s standard criteria and procedure, and ultimately, the selection was made on that basis.”
Pawlak said the claim that the city can’t use the funds in this way is incorrect.
The city has picked Bounce Marketing & Events, led by Fantasy Zellars. She said her agency has a proven track record with local and national experience.
Among the local events that Bounce has created were the August Wilson birthday celebration for the past seven years and Mayor Ed Gainey’s inauguration swearing-in and gala.
Pawlak indicates that personal ties to Gainey are not what sealed the deal.
“It’s true that the city has partnered with Bounce and Fantasy Zellars events in the past, and that she does have a role in the Pittsburgh Paints initiative led by Mrs. Gainey, but they are a national event promotion company that has ample experience in doing events of this type and scale, not just here in Pittsburgh but across the country,” Pawlak said.
There has been no official announcement of where the city-sponsored Juneteenth event will be staged.
Marshall said he and others will hold a news conference at Point State Park on Friday.
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