Juneteenth is a national holiday that celebrates the freedom of slaves on June 19, 1865.
Milwaukee began celebrating Juneteenth in 1971. And this year, the city is doing things a little differently.
Here’s what to know about Milwaukee’s 54th annual Juneteenth Day on Thursday.
What is the significance of Juneteenth Day?
Juneteenth is more than a celebration. It’s a reflection on Black identity, ancestry and history.
This year’s theme is called “Juneteenth – A Celebration of Love, Life, and Freedom.”
You can learn more about the history of Juneteenth here.
How does Milwaukee celebrate?
Festivities in Milwaukee will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 19 in Rose Park, 3045 N. Martin Luther King Drive.
A parade will feature floats, marching bands, dance teams and more. During the street festival, community members have the opportunity to support Black-owned businesses by purchasing items or food.
According to Milwaukee’s Juneteenth Celebration Facebook page, more than 400 vendors will be present, and 72 are new to the festival.
How many are expected to attend?
According to Vanessa Johnson, Northcott Neighborhood House’s director of development, approximately 50,000 community members are expected to attend the festival.
What will be different this year?
For the first time, Northcott Neighborhood House will be partnering with Summerfest and American Family Insurance to offer more festivities at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 19 at Maier Festival Park during Summerfest’s opening day.
There will be programming and music featuring the Juneteenth Day pageant court and special guest performances by the Isley Brothers, Fabolous and more.
Individuals who donate three shelf-stable food items between noon and 3 p.m. will receive one free admission ticket. Afterward, individuals will be charged $30 for general admission.
All donations will go to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and Northcott Neighborhood House.
During the festival in Rose Park, attendees can expect improvement and expansion in the kids, teens, seniors and veterans zones.
“There will be more rides and activities for our young people and seniors,” Johnson said.
How to get to Summerfest grounds by bus
MCTS has three regular bus routes that will get riders from the Juneteenth Day celebrations to Summerfest. Each stops within walking distance of the Summerfest North Gate at:
- Route 19 (King Drive) to CONNECT 1 BRT (Wisconsin Avenue)
- Route 19 (King Drive) to Route 33 (Vliet Street)
- Route 22 (Center Street) to Route 14 (Humboldt Boulevard)
Buses run every 15-30 minutes throughout the day and stop at either The Couture or Cass Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Regular bus fare is $2 and Reduced Fare for those who qualify is $1. Riders can use the Trip Planning features on RideMCTS.com and the Umo mobile app to check for important detour information.
For more information
Check out Milwaukee’s Juneteenth page
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Check out was real simple, can't wait for the tote bag