The streets of Third Ward came alive today as Houstonians gathered for the 52nd Annual Juneteenth Parade, a vibrant celebration of freedom, resilience, and Black history.

Juneteenth is a federal holiday officially on Thursday, June 19, commemorating the day in 1865 when emancipation was finally announced to slaves in Galveston, Texas, the last place to get word of President Lincoln's proclamation two years earlier.

Juneteenth is the celebration of Black Americans who were freed from bondage in Galveston, Texas, on June 19th, 1865, 2 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The sounds of soul, R&B, jazz and reggae could be heard Saturday afternoon around the SteelStacks complex, as people gathered to enjoy a Juneteenth festival. Juneteenth Lehigh Valley, an organization honoring the holiday that memorializes the day Black enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were freed in 1865, put on the festival celebrating freedom.

Troy University's Rosa Parks Museum held its 10th annual festival Saturday, with more celebrations on the horizon.

The Stockton Juneteenth Celebration is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, 1658 S. Airport Way. The event includes poetry, historical presentations, food vendors, and live entertainment.

For the fourth year in a row, hundreds gathered on Medina’s square to celebrate freedom and solidarity with the community’s observance of Juneteenth.

LIMA — Despite the rainy weather, the community came together for Saturday’s Juneteenth parade and celebration. The parade started at 10:30 a.m. at the intersection of South Main Street and Vine Street, moving north toward Town Square.