NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Columbia resident James Hatton said the secret to his hot-dogs are in the toppings. "Our hot dogs are so good, it's criminal," said the owner of Hot Dog Mafia.
But Hatton doesn't take his business for granted. "It means so much, again, that my forefathers that went through all of that and they got freed in 1865 that we're able to even sell hot-dogs right now in Nashville," he said.
Hatton was among the 100 vendors at Nashville's fourth Music City Freedom Festival.
"I can't figure no where else better in the world to celebrate Juneteenth than in Nashville," said Hatton.
Organizers said the festival has come a long way since it started four years ago.
"I mean there's a demand for it," said the festival's co-founder, Julius Lamont Jackson. "It started as one day and we noticed the first year when we were closing down people were still coming to the party. We were like whoa we're shutting down and people are still coming."
In a city rich with African American history, the backdrop for the event was no coincidence. "Well Hadley Park was known as the first park that was dedicated to African Americans in 1912," said Jackson.
As crowds celebrated with food, music and fun, it was also an opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of Juneteenth.
"We can't measure progress without knowing what happened here and I think it makes people feel better about, you know, the energy of the country when we can openly celebrate that hey today we became free, like, everybody," said festival co-founder, Mike Harris.
Organizers predicted the event saw thousands of attendees.
"Just like the country celebrates our freedom on July 4th - at that time African Americans were not free," said Jackson. "So let's celebrate this freedom as well with Juneteenth."
The Music City Freedom Festival was sponsored by Nashville General Hospital.
