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The Beyond the Bridge Freedom Festival will be held this weekend.

The event starts  at 10 a.m. Saturday and ends at 3 p.m. Admission is free and will be held on Washington Street, Water Avenue, Selma Avenue Alabama Avenue and Franklin Street.

The event was scheduled for  Junteenth under the name Junteenth Freedom Fest, but it got  postponed because of weather.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 will be a big part of Beyond the Bridge 

Beyond the Bridge Freedom Fest is hosted by TRHT Selma in partnership with the Selma Center for Nonviolence and Black Belt Community Foundation,  the City of Selma and Selma City Schools.

Co-hosts Collins Pettaway III and Lydia Chatmon will be among the speakers.

Pettaway said he’s looking forward to the event.

“This is an excellent opportunity to bring the community out to not only commemorate a momentous occasion, but to bring together people from all walks of life to simply have a great time,” Pettaway said.

Chatmon said it’s an honor to participate in the event.

“We are excited to share resources and information with families from across the Black Belt as we honor the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and promote the importance of education,” Chatmon said.

Eric Marable Jr. and Jahman Ariel Hill,, co-executive directors of The Flourish, Inc.are also scheduled to speak.

A health village will be part of the festival, with free health screenings, healthy snacks, preventive care resources and COVID vaccines. All are free.