It took until 2021 for Juneteenth, June 19, to become a federal holiday. Locally, it’s been celebrated since the 1990s.

According to the Macknificent Freedom Fest’s website, the celebration of the end of slavery began with the Pontiac Street Festival. The Harambee Street Festival followed at Pontiac before moving to Weisser Park, where annual gatherings took place until it shifted to McMillen Park in 2020.

“I used to go to Weisser Park, they used to have it there for years,” said Macknificent executive chair Alle Wims. “Mr. (Adrian) Curry, Ms. Zynette Paige, and so many more were the ones that were doing that for years. And it was small. Now, especially since 2020 when everyone wanted to support the Black Lives movement, it has grown. The popularity of supporting Black people, honestly, is what kind of grew it.”

Macknificent Freedom Fest has indeed grown, and you can see its growth Saturday, June 17.

Since moving to McMillen Park, Wims said the Juneteenth recognition has only grown,

“Each year, it’s just getting stronger,” she said. “This year is a little bit different just because we have a little bit more celebrations around the city. For the Macknificent Freedom Fest, we’re sticking to the same goal of aligning, building, and crystallizing the community. It’s about making sure everyone feels included and just having a great foundation so everyone can have a great time.”

The festival actually begins back at Weisser Park at 10 a.m. with the ceremonial Keepers of the Light, where elders pass the torch to young leaders in the community.

“The reason we pass the torch is for those focused on carrying out the mission, it’s to align everyone,” Wims said. “It doesn’t matter if you look like me. It’s to align, build, and come together to have activities around the city. Yes, we have this one event, but, for us, it’s a movement, a movement of bringing everyone together, eventually. It might not have happened last year. It might not happen this year, but we’re putting in the effort. That continues to help us grow.”

Following the ceremony, the Arts Learning Center Promenade marches along Oxford Street, beginning at 11:30 a.m. From there, the party gets going at McMillen from 1:30-6 p.m. with food, music, games, vendors, dancing, education, sports, a Human Library, and the Children’s Corner.

“The Children’s Corner in the past, they were good, but this year we’re going to top it with some face-painting, snow cones, bubbles, and of course the bounce houses,” Wims said. “We also have a carriage ride for them.”

In the end, the celebration is about bringing folks together and raising awareness of the significance of Juneteenth.

“I think it’s good that we have so much activity in the city,” Wims said. “I know (the holiday) will evolve, but I’m not sure how it will evolve, except it will be positive.”