Central Texas celebrates Juneteenth with weekend of local events, parade
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Juneteenth is Monday, June 19, and Texas communities are marking the anniversary over the weekend. 2023 is the first year that Juneteenth is a federal holiday.
Austin's Juneteenth Parade starts Saturday at 10 a.m. It will begin at Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Salina Street, and ends at Rosewood Park. After the parade, there will be a festival event at the park until 9 p.m.
“Austin's historical Juneteenth Celebration remains an important time that we come together to celebrate the African American journey to freedom,” said Tami D. Johnson-Dawson, Juneteenth Chair of the Greater East Austin Youth Association (GEAYA). “We recognize this time together as empowering and uplifting and it really feels like one big family reunion! May we never forget the injustices that we have overcome from the enslavement of our ancestors and remember that none of us is free unless we are all free.”
According to GEAYA, the organization has partnered with the City of Austin to celebrate Juneteenth since 2003.
Buda, Georgetown and Round Rock also have events Saturday:
- Buda: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at City Park Pavilion (204 San Antonio Rd.)
- Georgetown: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the San Gabriel Park community center (445 E. Morrow St.)
- Round Rock: 3:30 to 11:30 p.m. at Old Settlers Park (3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd.)
Events happening this Sunday:
- Austin Federation of Musicians Local 433 Juneteenth Concert: 2:30 p.m. at The Union Hall (4818 E Ben White Blvd.)
- Bastrop County: 12 to 5 p.m. at the Hopewell Rosewald School (690 Hwy 21 West, Cedar Creek)