Juneteenth in the Triad: festivals, community events and more

There are a number of celebrations coming up over the next week in the Piedmont Triad to commemorate Juneteenth.

Two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, a Union general arrived in Texas announcing enslaved Black people were free. That day, June 19, has been symbolic ever since.

In Greensboro, individuals can attend the fifth annual Juneteenth Black Food Truck Festival this Saturday in LeBauer Park to celebrate the holiday. It will include music, vendors and games for attendees. A ceremony will also take place to honor the late Pat Fortune, who brought the city its first festival celebrating the holiday in 1996.

The fourth annual Juneteenth Gospel Superfest: Interfaith Celebration will take place on Sunday in Greensboro at Barber Park Amphitheater. Festivities will continue through June 21 in the city.

Triad Cultural Arts is also kicking off its festivities on June 19 with spontaneous flash mobs throughout Kernersville and Winston-Salem. The surprise performances will display the music and dance of African culture.

The nonprofit organization will also host a festival and display fireworks in Kernersville on June 19 to celebrate the holiday.

A procession for Juneteenth will be held in Winston-Salem on June 21, starting at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Cleveland Avenue. A festival will follow to celebrate African-American heritage and freedom.