WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – This weekend, Juneteenth events are spreading joy throughout Wichita, celebrating freedom.
Families and people lined the parade route to watch as dozens of organizations and groups partied down 13th Street all the way to McAdams Park during Saturday’s parade.
The parade is part of a weekend-long celebration organized by Juneteenth ICT. This is the fourth year Juneteenth ICT hosted the event and this year’s theme is “Family Matters.”
Juneteenth marks the date the last slaves in Texas were freed, on June 19, 1865, three years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. They were the first to celebrate Juneteenth, which is now celebrated across the country.
Juneteenth became a national holiday in 2021, so city, county, state and federal offices are closed on Wednesday.
One of the people taking part in Saturday’s festivities described the event as a celebration of community.
“We’re absolutely stronger together,” said Kendall Davis of the Rock Christian Fellowship. “We’re much stronger under faith and I just hope this an encouragement to want to be out and be amongst each other. Just continue to build a strong community.”
Live music, food trucks and activities for all ages will be held all weekend at McAdams Park. For more details on the celebration, click here.
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