St. Charles To Celebrate Juneteenth Friday In Pottawatomie Park

ST. CHARLES, IL — More than 100 people are expected to join together Friday evening at St. Charles’ Pottawatomie Park in celebration of Juneteenth.

The event is set to run from 5-8 p.m., with organizers asking those who come to wear masks, maintain their distance from other groups and limit groups to no more than 10 people.

Organizers are also encouraging people to wear red, black and green — the colors of the Pan-African flag — Black Lives Matter shirts, or traditional and Afrocentric garments for those who identify as African Americans.

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Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day or Freedom Day, is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the U.S.

The Juneteenth event in St. Charles will feature performances, visual art, readings and film clips, as well as speakers detailing their experiences as members of the Black community, according to the event’s Facebook page.

"We are not here to march this time around, but to celebrate African-American Independence Day and Black culture while members of our community near and far speak out against racial violence in America," organizers said in a post on the page. "Please be respectful as you listen to their words and share in their history, artistry and culture."

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Erica Shannon, one of the event’s organizers, told the Daily Herald the Juneteenth event is "going to be a beautiful thing" for suburban residents to learn about and unite around the cause.

"There are people of color who live out here, but when it comes to community togetherness and events, there's nothing that really highlights the African American community specifically," Shannon said. "I think it's going to be a beautiful thing for the suburban area in general to have that cultural experience where everyone can learn something, enjoy and appreciate something, and come together for a good cause."