HOUSTON — There were several events held outdoors in the Houston heat on Saturday. One of them was the Juneteenth Music Festival at Emancipation Park, which started in the early afternoon when the sun was at its hottest.
It was the 151st anniversary of the event.
“It’s an honor to be a part of something so beautiful here on Emancipation,” Rie Howard, who attended the celebration Saturday, said.
“The first time I came to a Juneteenth celebration was in 1980,” Anice Ramsey added.
They were celebrating freedom, highlighting the history of the land that the Emancipation Park sits on today.
“I have the opportunity to be here and then for our younger generation to continue that legacy,” Britt Jackson told us about the event. “That means more than anything in the world.”
There were live performances and vendors from different Black-owned businesses while folks were braving the high temps
“People in Houston know if it's hot, prepare,” said Ramsey.
They were using umbrellas, fans and drinking lots of ice-cold water.
Event organizers added a few things to help keep people safe.
“Kroger was a sponsor of some hydration stations. We increased the first eight to three stations. We have HFD, some of our Houston partners here with us to make sure that everybody is safe,” Emancipation Park Conservancy executive director Jennifer Spriggs said.
Rain or shine or excessive heat, people at the event said they’re going to continue coming back.
“I came to as many as I could because I love Emancipation Park,” said Ramsey.
Juneteenth is the biggest event here at Emancipation Park, but organizers say they hope people take advantage and enjoy all the activities they have there year-round.
Juneteenth: 1865-2023: Freedom to Learn
For the third straight year, KHOU 11 has produced a documentary celebrating and honoring Juneteenth. This year, we focus on education. You can watch the special on KHOU 11+ on Roku and FireTV now.