ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke’s Juneteenth celebration looked a little different this year — and a lot more local. Melrose Plaza hosted a small business expo where vendors set up tables, invited neighbors to sample food, shop handmade goods and connect with the entrepreneurs behind them.
From bakeries and mobile barbers to artists and a tech startup, the event drew a wide range of vendors and visitors eager to support businesses rooted in the neighborhood.
Donna Davis, Melrose Plaza’s director of community engagement, said the timing felt like a natural fit.
“Since we’re open to the public on that day, I thought it would be a great idea to open it up to the public to be able to have an opportunity to showcase their small businesses, celebrate freedom, do a couple of things at once,” Davis said.
Visitors traded stories and contact information while picking up a few treats along the way. Organizers said their goal extended beyond a single day of sales — they wanted to help vendors build lasting customer connections.
Melvin Ward, president of the Star City Soldiers Motorcycle Club, said the expo opened doors for groups that don’t always get a platform.
“For us to be a part of this, man, that’s amazing. There’s more levels and we’re going to go further and higher than this because it gives people like the motorcycle club and local small businesses the opportunity to showcase what we’re doing. People need to see that because they didn’t know,” Ward said.
Attendees said they valued the chance to meet business owners face-to-face and invest in their own community. For some, the expo was their first introduction to what Melrose Plaza had to offer.
Roanoke resident Betty Penn said she was still catching up on everything the event had to offer.
“It would be interesting if there’s anything I can find out here because I’m not caught up on all of it. I heard about this, handing out flyers and inviting people to a meet and greet,” Penn said.
Organizers encouraged anyone who missed the expo to follow the Melrose Plaza page for future events and vendor lists.
What started as a Juneteenth celebration turned into a broader reminder: shopping local keeps money — and connections — close to home.