Mount Kisco Celebrating Inaugural Juneteenth This Saturday

MOUNT KISCO, NY — Mount Kisco will be holding its first ever "Juneteenth: A Summer Celebration of Culture" this Saturday, June 11, from noon - 4 p.m. in the village parking lot behind the town hall.

There will be a live performance by Base Camp, a live dj, a free raffle, arts & crafts, several Black-owned vendors and more. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

On Tuesday, June 14, at 4:30 p.m., children will be able to celebrate Juneteenth at the Mount Kisco Library (100 E. Main St.) by creating a stick flag craft for Freedom Day. This event will take place in the children's program room downstairs. If you can't make it to the library at that time, the craft kit will be available to take home outside the library door by the book drop from noon - 4 p.m.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Liberation Day, is a celebration of the end of slavery in the U.S. It is officially celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the day in 1865 when Union Major General Gordon Granger marched into Galveston, TX and announced that the Civil War was over. Galveston was the last city in the nation that still had slaves, and they were freed after Granger arrived.

After being celebrated by the African-American community for more than a century, Juneteenth was made an official federal holiday in 2021.

Information about other Juneteenth celebrations throughout Westchester and Rockland counties, can be found on the ArtsWestchester website.