Multicultural Family Center Celebrates Juneteenth with Series of Events

The Multicultural Family Center will celebrate Juneteenth this weekend with three days of events as part of the center's 15th annual celebration.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day when Union soldiers fully enforced the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas. News of the Union's victory in the Civil War two months earlier and the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years prior to that did not reach all parts of the nation at the same time, leaving it up to Union forces to notify formerly enslaved people that they were now free.

This year's Juneteenth celebrations in Dubuque will take place over three days:

• Friday, June 13: History Retold, 5-8 p.m. at the Multicultural Family Center, 1157 Central Ave. Highlighting the history of Black culture through art, performances, fashion, and food.
• Saturday, June 14: Picnic in the Park, 12-4 p.m. at Jackson Park, 1500 Main St. Featuring a talent show, raffles, a bounce house, all-ages games, community and business booths, free food, food trucks, and door prizes.
• Sunday, June 15: Prayer and Praise, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Jackson Park. Celebrate with a variety of Dubuque congregations through word and song.

Additional details about the Juneteenth celebrations can be found on the Multicultural Family Center website.