A Juneteenth event, presented by Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation, celebrated Black culture with activities and performances on Thursday at El Cariso Community Regional Park in Sylmar.
Arts and crafts activities, a magic show, live dance and poetry performances, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, food and refreshments were part of the fou-hour event at the 80-acre park.
El Cariso Regional Park was among the five LA County Supervisors’ special celebrations scheduled in June: George Washington Carver Park (Los Angeles), Valleydale Park (Azusa), Jackie Robinson Park (Sun Village).
The celebration at Don Knabe Park, June 27, is the final of the five gatherings, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 19700 S. Bloomfield Ave., Cerritos. parks.lacounty.gov/juneteenth
“We’re proud to continue this important tradition of celebrating Juneteenth across LA County Parks,” said Norma E. García-González, director of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, in a press release. “Our parks bring people together, and these celebrations provide an opportunity to honor the history, culture, and lasting contributions of Black communities while fostering connection, understanding, and community pride.”
Juneteenth is a Black American holiday celebrated annually on June 19 to remember the day when word finally came in 1865 to enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, that slavery had ended due to President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.
The newest federal holiday was signed into law on June 17, 2021, establishing June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day.