A Monterey County nonprofit is raising money for its 2027 Juneteenth celebration with a cocktail party Saturday, Sept. 26, in Carmel.
The Juneteenth Coalition's "Ignition" fundraiser is the first in a planned series of events leading up to the group's 2027 celebration, Monterey County NOW first reported. Coalition leader Maddox Haberdasher developed a signature cocktail for the occasion called the Timbuktu, inspired by the ancient library in Mali, Africa.
"[Timbuktu] is right at the zenith of the Mali Empire that Mansa Musa ran in the late 1200s," Haberdasher told Monterey County NOW. "That was when [the city] was at the epicenter of learning and knowledge."
The drink features fig, date, ginger and cinnamon, with pomegranate seeds dropped into a rocks glass rimmed with edible gold glitter. As the cocktail sits, the seeds turn to vintage red accents among the gold, according to the report by Sloan Campi.
Beyond the cocktail, the Ignition event includes live music, a golf skills challenge and a themed menu, according to a Monterey County NOW calendar listing. Coalition organizers described their most recent past celebration as "a revival" and said the road to Juneteenth 2027 begins with Saturday's fundraiser.
Sean Carr, a Seaside resident, founded the Juneteenth Coalition after the murder of George Floyd, according to the organization's website. The nonprofit is a 501(c)(3) based in Monterey County that works to empower youth through cultural experiences.
A date and venue for the 2027 Juneteenth celebration have not been announced.
The Ignition fundraiser runs 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at Carmel Mission Inn, 3665 Rio Road, Carmel. Tickets are $65. Information: juneteenthcoalition.org or (831) 624-1841.
