A Family Cookout @ Sweetwater Farm

June 22nd
Winchester, New Hampshire

Greetings Good People! I hope you and yours are as well as can be.

My favorite Professor at Boston University, School For The Arts was the impeccable James Spruill. He was an awesome human being and a keen artist. Both he and his wife, writer/director Lynda Patton-Spruill, introduced and directed culturally affirming pro-Black theater productions at Boston University, filling a void where such representation did not otherwise exist. I've been friends with their son Robert Patton-Spruill for over two decades, along with his executive producer wife Patti. I had the pleasure of appearing in two feature films they produced. After Rob's parents passed away, he and Patti moved to Sweetwater Farm and began hosting a Juneteenth-inspired party, complete with families and fireworks.

It swiftly transformed into our preferred gathering spot. With the onset of the pandemic, these gatherings took on deeper meaning and began to evolve. When Juneteeth became a federal holiday in 2021 many of us lacked rituals and traditions for this special occasion, so we decided to expand the gathering and named it RussellFest.

We’d love you to join us this year!

Your core organizers Rob, Patti, Nerissa, Yasmin, Tanya and Russell G.

The “Official" RussellFest 2024 Day Of Itinerary

Saturday June 22nd

12:00 noon

Family Cookout - Lunch

Bouncy House

Field Games (kids and adults)

Music by DJ Hillel

Dancing (earthly dance floor experience)

5:30 pm

Family Cookout - Dinner
Pyre Ceremony
(to honor our Boston University classmates Kalimi Baxter, Lonnie Macadoo, Felicia Schpall)
We invite you all to commit your thoughts, prayers and wishes to the flames as well.