Juneteenth Events Happening in Our Area This Weekend

In light of the effort by Congress to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, you may be hearing more about Juneteenth in the news and other media.

Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas announced slaves were free — two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

The day has been celebrated by African-Americans every year since.

This weekend, there are a number of events taking place in Northeast Georgia and the Upstate.

In Hartwell, a special Juneteenth Choir Concert will be held Saturday evening at 6p at Christian Worship Assembly on the Royston Highway.

With the theme, Worship is Freedom, the evening’s music will be lead by worship leader Trae Gaines, Tim Bell, and soloist Letitia Smith.

The CWA Praise Team will also lead the congregation in a time of praise and worship.

In Athens, a Stop the Violence March at Nellie B Apartments Saturday will be followed by a Juneteenth celebration that will include poetry, dance, and a speaker to discuss the history of the day.

In Clemson, a Juneteenth celebration will be held at the Littlejohn Community Center from 2p to 6p.

And the City of Seneca will hold their first annual Juneteenth Festival Saturday 11a to 9p at Norton Thompson Park in downtown Seneca.

The event will feature featuring a fashion show, an art show, 3-on-3 basketball finals, and live music.

There will also be face painters and Balloon Artists will be on hand for the kids, and of course, the festival will have food and craft vendors along with information and demonstrations from community organizations.

All of the events are free and open to the public.