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Juneteenth will be celebrated with many events next week throughout the area.

Cape Girardeau events

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri is collaborating with Afrocentric Arts for a Juneteenth event celebrating excellence in Black art. They will be holding the Reflections exhibition for the second year. Reflections calls on artists to explore and express the depth and breadth of the Black experience. The opening reception will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 19, at Scout Hall, 420 Broadway in downtown Cape Girardeau. Following the reception will be a ticketed concert held by The Phonics of Cairo, Illinois. $20 per ticket or $75 for a table.

Southeast Missouri residents are invited to gather at 11 a.m. Saturdsay, June 21, at Ivers Square in downtown Cape Girardeau for a community Juneteenth celebration. The event is free, open to all ages and will feature live entertainment, presentations, artisanal craft vendors, social service organizations, food vendors, door prizes and a kids area. Attendees can expect performances and presentations throughout the day, as well as opportunities to connect with local organizations and explore handmade crafts. The event is organized to provide a space for education, reflection and community engagement by offering a family-friendly environment with a variety of activities, organizers aim to foster a sense of unity and awareness about the meaning of Juneteenth.

Sikeston

Sikeston’s annual Juneteenth celebration will begin Thursday, June 19, and continue through Saturday, June 21, with a series of events at Miner Convention Center and Lincoln Park. The festival will open with a “Gospel Explosion” from 6 to 8 p.m. June 19 at the convention center, 2610 E. Malone Ave. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available by freewill donation and may be secured through a QR code on the Sikeston Juneteenth Fest Facebook page or at Eventbrite.

The celebration continues Friday, June 20, with the Black Excellence Ball, themed “Harlem Nights”, at Miner Convention Center. Ticketing for the ball follows the same process as Gospel Explosion. On Saturday, June 21, events at Lincoln Park, 1101-1199 W. North St., will run from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Activities include a car show and a parade, along with food and other community gatherings.