By Sarah LeGear
Germantown Community Coalition took part in the Washington County Community Juneteenth Celebration with our friends from Just Us of Washington County, Friends, Inc., and The Youth and Family Project.
Juneteenth is a celebration that marks the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, nearly two years after President Abraham Lincoln emancipated enslaved Africans in America, Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to share the news that slaves had been freed. It became a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth celebrations are held to bring community members together.
I went to the Juneteenth celebration not knowing what to expect. The weather at the beginning of the event was not cooperative as it was sprinkling rain here and there. However, the weather improved as the day went on and we had a great day. GCC members helped with crafts, gave out free cotton candy and popcorn, and also worked at our information booth. Many other Washington County nonprofits also had booths and it was nice to meet other people in our community.
Besides crafts and booths, the event included lawn games and a fun entertainment act that blew gigantic bubbles that entertained kids and adults alike. I also made friends with a beautiful horse that day who came to check out the festivities. There were also two food trucks there with amazing food. While it was hard to choose what to eat, I opted for the pulled pork nachos and was not disappointed.
A highlight of the day for me was that many people came over to the event because they just happened to be at Pike Lake enjoying the beach that day. They were curious about what was happening. I look forward to this event next year.
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