Here’s how SLO County is celebrating Juneteenth
A year after Juneteenth became a federal holiday, a handful of Central Coast cities are planning celebrations to mark the occasion.
Also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day marks the end of slavery in the United States.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and told the city’s enslaved people that they were officially free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.
“Juneteenth is about freedom, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the coming together as one,” Stephen Vines, president of the NAACP’s local branch, said in a news release.
Although Juneteeth officially falls on Sunday, which is Father’s Day, some local events are being held Saturday to celebrate the holiday.
At least two San Luis Obispo County cities are hosting Juneteenth celebrations. Elsewhere on the Central Coast, there are events planned in Lompoc, Solvang and Santa Barbara.
Paso Robles
A Juneteenth Paso Jubilee will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Downtown City Park.
In addition to a keynote address by San Luis Obispo Mayor Erica Stewart, the city’s first Black City Council member and mayor, the event will feature soul food, storytelling, music, dance and a live DJ.
Family-friendly games, face painting and arts and crafts are also in store.
For more information, call 805-712-9611 or 805-610-5110 or visit facebook.com/Juneteenth.Paso.
San Luis Obispo
The NAACP’s San Luis Obispo County branch is hosting a two-day emancipation celebration this weekend.
The group’s fifth annual Juneteenth Celebration and Resource Fair will kick off Saturday at Mission Plaza.
The event, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature a keynote address by Deborah Newmark, executive director of The Children’s Project, and live music by the Legendary House of Prayer Choir from Nipomo and local band Mo Betta Jazz, featuring Deborah Gilmore on vocals.
Also in store are a Health and Wellness Fair featuring vendors and services, as well as a silent auction, a soul food dinner and the Freedom Lounge, hosted by The History Center of San Luis Obispo County.
Sunday will feature a private screening and panel discussion of the movie “Passing,” about a Black woman who reconnects with a former childhood friend who’s passing as white.
The event runs from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the San Luis Obispo Public Market Place, 3845 South Higuera St.
Admission is free but reservations are encouraged due to limited seating. Food from Jay Bird’s Chicken and Veg on the Edge will be available for purchase.
For more information, call 805-619-5354 or visit juneteenthslo.com.
