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On June 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be a Juneteenth celebration in Calumet Park at 106 Union Street.

The event will include a live DJ, food trucks and activities for all ages. Guests will be required to wear masks and socially distance.

“We just want everybody to come out and enjoy Juneteenth with us. We just welcome everyone from all over Troup County and beyond. We want to make it something very special, so come out and enjoy it,” said Lanona Jones, the secretary and treasurer for Calumet Park Neighborhood Association, Inc. According to Jones, there will be a special section for children, various retail vendors, and a program.

“We’re going to have two speakers to talk about the Juneteenth history. We’re going to have a praise and worship dance team. We’re looking at having a Christian comedian and live music,” Jones said.

Jones said she was unsure if an official Juneteenth event had been held before, but she knew several years ago that a similar themed event had been held at Calumet Park.

“It was quite some time ago, but we’re going to reactivate that and do it on an annual basis,” she said.”

Sponsors for this event include Calumet Park Neighborhood Association, Inc.; The Artisan Community Development Corporation; Continental Societies, Inc. LaGrange; Inspire Positivity, Inc. and The People’s Agenda.

There are free slots available for food trucks. For more information, call Veronica Bell at (706) 885-2743.

Juneteenth, short for “June Nineteenth,” recognizes the end of slavery in the United States, according to History.com. On that day in 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas “to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed.”