St. Cloud Juneteenth Celebration Friday

(KNSI) – The state’s newest recognized holiday takes center stage in central Minnesota.

St. Cloud’s 26th Annual Juneteenth Celebration is Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Eastman Park on the shores of Lake George. The African American Male Forum and Higher Works Collaborative host the celebration.

Jake Judd KNSI News

Although St. Cloud has been honoring the day for two and a half decades, it was officially declared a state holiday after the governor signed legislation in February. Higher Works Community Social Worker Islam Abuhadid told KNSI News that the signing makes this year’s get-together historic. “If you are a member of the community, we want you there. This is literally for every single member of the community, whatever background you have. We want our community to be together, have a great time, and celebrate us as Americans.”

Abuhadid says the event has expanded over the last few years because the city is growing. “It’s diversifying, and it’s people becoming more involved. I believe we’re becoming more united as a community with the people who live here, and I think people are there to have fun, and it’s something cool.”

Organizers expect this year’s event to be the biggest and best to date.

The free festival is jam-packed with more than 70 vendors and events for everyone, including art, a grill-off, bouncy houses, special speakers, a three-on-three basketball tournament, kids’ fishing on Lake George, food trucks, drawings, prizes and live music.

Juneteenth marks the day when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, a month after the American Civil War officially ended in 1865 to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. It has since become a national celebration of freedom, history, community and culture.

Juneteenth is officially Monday, June 19th, but St. Cloud holds its event on the Friday before. For more on this year’s festivities, click here.