MILLCREEK, Utah ( ABC4 ) — On Sunday, the third annual Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration was held at Millcreek Common to commemorate the upcoming holiday on Wednesday, June 19. The event was scheduled to run from 6 p.m.
until about 10 p.m. at Millcreek Common on Sunday, and promised “fun and educational programming” for those who attended the event.
“All are welcome in honoring history, heritage, and perseverance in a family-friendly and fun atmosphere,” a press release for the event said. The Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration offered live performances, local art, food trucks, an area for kids, and even a fashion show. The third annual event was a partnership between the Millcreek Community Foundation , D.
I.V.A.
, and UBLAC . “Back when I was a kid, there was not many Juneteenth celebrations going on here,” event manager Mariam Dickerson told ABC4.com.
“So, it’s really cool to see more people coming out, more people interested in celebrating and interested in educating their families.” The theme for the 2024 event was “African American hair practices as a pro-social tool,” event organizers said. Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating the last enslaved people in the United States learning of their freedom after the Civil War.
The holiday, which occurs every year on June 19, only became a federal holiday in 2021 — but its roots date back to the 1860s. The name “Juneteenth” combines the words “June” and “nineteenth,” but other names for the.
