Food trucks, music, history: Thousands commemorate Juneteenth at events across the Triangle
Thousands of locals will honor and celebrate Juneteenth at multiple events across the Triangle this weekend.
Considered the longest-run African American holiday, Juneteenth commemorates the abolition of slavery in the United States. The first Juneteenth was June 19, 1865, when in the aftermath of the Civil War, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to take control and ensure the freedom of all enslaved men, women and children. It took 156 years for Juneteenth to finally be recognized as a federal holiday.
This year, crowds were out celebrating and learning by taking tours at museums and historic sites, enjoying live music and food or even running in 5K fundraisers.
On Saturday, Dix Park hosted the Capital City Juneteenth Celebration. You can visit WRAL's Lena Tillett and Ken Smith, who are acting as hosts for the event. Crowds enjoyed food trucks, music, games and performances sharing the meaning of the day. The event runs from 1 to 6 p.m.
Many local towns and cities are hosting their own celebrations.
- Apex is also hosting a Juneteenth festival on Saturday at The Depot on North Salem Street from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Garner's Juneteenth Celebration is at the Garner Performing Arts Center from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
- The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Juneteenth Festival is happening at the Hargraves Community Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friends of Oberlin Village are hosting their Heritage 5K on Saturday morning at the WakeMed Soccer Park. Hundreds of runners joined the event, which aims to raise awareness of the holiday and history of Raleigh's largest Freedman's Village. It's the second year of the event, and this year features booths with Black-owned businesses and food trucks.
WRAL is a proud partner of both the Oberlin Village Heritage 5K and the Capital City Juneteenth Celebration.
There's plenty to do this weekend if you'd like to commemorate Juneteenth. You can find a full list of events here. If you'd like to know more about the history of Juneteenth and how Raleigh's first generation of people freed from slavery built a life in freedom right here in the Triangle, you can learn about that here.
