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When this year's Juneteenth Festival begins its two-day run Friday, there will be many things for area residents to enjoy.
There will be fun activities and games for children, there will be vendors offering a wide variety of items and information and there will be food -- including some of the best fish and rib dinners you can find in the Steubenville area.
But the annual event at Second Baptist Church is about more than being able to enjoy a few days of entertainment and fun -- it is a recognition, a chance to reflect on the significance of the Juneteenth holiday.
The holiday remembers June 19, 1865, when word of the Emancipation Proclamation (which had been singed in 1863) reached Galveston, Texas, when Union soldiers arrived and told the enslaved African Americans that they were free.
Since then, yearly celebrations have helped to mark the event, and it's a tradition that local organizers, including Tamla Hunt, who is again chairing the local commemoration, are proud to continue.
With the federal holiday honoring Junteenth coming on Wednesday, the festival, which will be held at the church's 717 Adams St. location and along South Eighth Street, will provide the right mix of celebration and remembrance.
Friday's 11 a.m. opening ceremonies will include a prayer by the Rev. Maurice Lawson, a proclamation from Mayor Jerry Barilla, a performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" by the church's praise team and an overview of the holiday from the Rev. Jim Baber. By the time the event concludes around 8 p.m. Saturday, organizers hope it will have brought members of the community closer together.
None of the activities would be possible without a team of dedicated volunteers, a group that includes Sheila Hendricks, who is credited with providing the vision that led to the creation of the festival.
Among organizations that are helping to support the event is the Steubenville NAACP. Sponsors include the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, Steubenville City Schools and Trinity Health System.
This year's Juneteenth Festival offers a chance to relax with friends and family and enjoy outdoor fun -- as well as a chance to look back at where our country has been, and where we hope it can go.