METAIRIE • KENNER • HARAHAN • JEFFERSON • ELMWOOD • RIVER RIDGE
Great Dads Know
GREAT GRILLING!
EAST JEFFERSON
USDA Prime Boneless Ribeye Steaks
Lobster Tails 4-5oz
$16.99 $6.99 www.robertfreshmarket.com lb. See our full ad inside.
N O L A.C O M
|
W e d n e s d ay, J u n e 17, 2026
ea.
1GN
CELEBRATING FREEDOM & FAITH Juneteenth weekend marks Black culture, food, music and businesses
BY VIOLET BUCARO Staff writer
The New Orleans Juneteenth Festival Weekend is expanding for a seventh year by adding to its slate of community-centered events honoring Black liberation, culture, wellness and economic empowerment. The Louisiana Afro-Indigenous Society will present the seventh annual free festival and related events from Thursday through Sunday across the city. This year, the festival has added stilt walkers to the second-line, a performance by Dawn Richard, children’s book readings and the economic sum-
mit event on Saturday. It all started with a nudge from Shaddi Livingston’s community elder, Baderinwa Rolland, affectionately known as Mama Butler, to create an event to commemorate Juneteenth. Livingston wanted to make one, but never thought to do it on her own. “You’ve been in the community your entire life. You watched your dad do things, your mom. So it’s time for you to step up in the mix and make that happen,” Livingston said when recalling what Rolland told her. Juneteenth celebrates the date of when the Union troops announced the enforcement of the
Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas, marking the end of slavery on June 19, 1865. She wanted to do it on her own, rather than waiting for it to come. “It has to be done in a way that is authentic to myself and beneficial to others,” Livingston said. Livingston started the Juneteenth Festival with a small celebration in 2020, the year before it became a federal holiday. She also founded the Louisiana AfroIndigenous Society, which has grown into a larger grassroots festival each year. The festival provides a space
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
New Groove Brass Band performs in a second-line parade that kicks off the 2025 New Orleans Juneteenth Festival in Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans.
ä See JUNETEENTH, page 2G
Visitors buy Louisiana creole tomatoes from Matt Ranatza Farms at the Creole Tomato Festival. Mariam Ibrahim, 11, chows down on a tomato during the children’s tomato eating contest.
CREOLE CRUSH
Dog days of summer can be dangerous for pets This weekend marks the official start of summer, and it can be a brutal time for our pets. While many of us complain about the heat and humidity, our pets often have an even harder time coping with soaring temperatures. Unlike people, dogs and cats cannot simply turn on a fan, grab a cold drink Traci from the refrigerator Howerton or head inside when ANIMAL they get uncomfortRESCUE able. They rely on us to recognize when conditions become dangerous and to help keep them safe. Every year, veterinarians treat pets suffering from heat exhaustion, burned paw pads and dehydration — many of which could have been prevented with a few simple precautions. As temperatures climb this summer, here are some important reminders to help keep our pets safe and comfortable.
Heat-related illness happens fast
STAFF PHOTOS BY SOPHIA GERMER
The ‘Ripe & Ready’ second-line marches through the French Market during the 40th annual Creole Tomato Festival in New Orleans on June 6,
C
reated as a delicious way to welcome the warmer summer months, the two-day Creole Tomato Festival took place in areas around the French Quarter on June 6-7. The festival was celebrating its 40th year, complete with music, art, dancing and plenty of tomato-themed food and drinks.
One of the biggest misconceptions about summer safety is that a pet will somehow “tell us” when it has gotten too hot. Unfortunately, by the time obvious symptoms appear, a pet may already be in serious trouble. Watch for signs such as excessive panting, difficulty breathing, heavy drooling, weakness, lethargy, disorientation or collapse. Severe heatstroke can also cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and loss of consciousness. Certain pets face an even greater risk. Flat-faced breeds such as bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers and French bulldogs often struggle to cool themselves efficiently because of their shortened airways. Senior pets, overweight animals and those with heart or respiratory conditions are also more vulnerable to overheating. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and keep pets indoors.
The car is never safe Despite years of warnings, pets
ä See PETS, page 2G
SAVE 52¢ LB
SAVE $ 22 1
SAVE up $ 98 to 1
SAVE up $ 11 to 1
When You Buy 2
LB
— ONLY —
— ONLY —
VALUE PACK
93% Lean Ground Beef
5
$ 77 LB
SOUTH CAROLINA GROWN
1
$ 67
Fresh Yellow Peaches
LB
— ONLY —
8 OZ PACK
Rouses Chunk or Shredded Cheese
1
$ 88
— ONLY —
2 LITER BOTTLE
Coke, Pepsi Sprite or 7Up
visit rouses.com for more weekly ad specials!
4
2/$
Prices good at all New Orleans, Gretna, Kenner, Metairie, Marrero, Slidell, Mandeville and Covington stores June 17th - June 24th, 2026.