Bridge Crossing Jubilee, Back in Downtown Selma

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Senator Hank Sanders and other organizers of the Bridge Crossing Jubilee called a news conference to address some of the changes to the annual event.

Senator Hank Sanders opened up about issues he and other organizers faced with last year’s Bridge Crossing Jubilee Festival, but says they will not stand in the way of this year’s commemoration of the Selma to Montgomery March.

Senator Hank Sanders says that the Bridge Crossing Jubilee Festival will be held in downtown Selma on Water St. as it has  for several decades with the exception of last year.

Last year, the Bridge Crossing Jubilee Festival was moved to the other side of the Edmund Pettus Bridge and held on private property after organizers refused to pay a nearly $24,000 event fee to the city of Selma. Sanders says this year the issue has been resolved and the Selma city council has come to an agreement that will allow the Jubilee to move back to downtown Selma, by helping with some of the costs.

The terms of the agreement are that the Jubilee will pay $5,000 and the City of Selma will cover the balance, estimated to be $15,000, for police and crossing guards and Festival cleanup.

“I’m relieved and so glad that the Council was able to work it out” said Sanders.

This will be the 53rd anniversary and commemoration of ‘Bloody Sunday’ and the Selma to Montgomery March.