The Booker T. Washington Community Center in Auburn will hold its annual Juneteenth celebration Saturday, June 15. The day's festivities will begin with an opening ceremony and Juneteenth proclamation at 11 a.

m. at Memorial City Hall at 24 South St. A parade to the 23 Chapman Ave.

center will follow. From noon to 6:30 p.m.

, the celebration will feature local vendors and more. Family and children's activities will include face painting, a slime-making station, an inflatable obstacle course, Skee-Ball, a basketball shoot-out and a rock climbing wall brought by the Army. Food will be available from Dugan's Country Grill, Fruity's Treats, Humphrey's Catering, Irie Jamaican Queen, MaMa's Meals, Muzzi's D'Italia Ice, Pizzeria Azzurri, The Sip Beverage Co.

and more. On the stage will be a full afternoon of music and other performances: "Faces of Tomorrow," a Black portrait exhibit by Ellen M. Blalock, will open inside the community center that day as well.

The winner of the Miss Juneteenth Pageantry Program will also be crowned at the celebration, at 3:45 p.m. The program showcases the beauty and talent of young Black women, minimizes stereotypes, helps develop self-confidence and pride, and deepens understanding of Black history and culture.

Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. on June 19, 1865, the day the Emancipation Proclamation was ordered to be enforced in the state of Texas.

In 2022, Auburn was named one of the top 12 destinations in the coun.