Residents from across the Tri-State Area will be joining with those from across the country during the next several days to commemorate Juneteenth.

There will be fun activities and games for children, vendors offering a wide variety of items and information, and there will be food — lots of it — including some of the best homemade dishes you can find in the region.

But the annual celebration 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 signed 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 are proud to continue.

With the federal holiday honoring Juneteenth coming on Thursday, there will be celebrations in Steubenville, which will be held at Second Baptist Church’s 717 Adams St. location and North End Field, which will provide the right mix of celebration and remembrance. In Weirton, Juneteenth will be recognized during events planned for Friday and Saturday.

Among the highlights will come on noon Thursday, when a parade helps to open the celebration at Second Baptist. Scheduled to run through the streets of downtown from Historic Fort Steuben to the church, the parade will feature grand marshals Royal Mayo, Steubenville’s Fourth Ward councilman, and Inky Jones, a graduate of Steubenville High School who was a member of the Ohio State University National Championship football team.

While activities at Second Baptist will continue through Saturday, a four-day event is planned at North End Field beginning Thursday. It will feature plenty of activities for young and old alike, including a bounce house, a card tournament, plenty of live music, a gospel explosion and, of course, one of the most-anticipated events of the weekend — the annual basketball tournament.

Across the Ohio River, the Weirton Ecumenical Council has a revival planned for 6 p.m. Friday at Christ the King Church, located at 3176 Weir Ave., and activities set to run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Weirton Event Center.

None of these events would be possible without a team made up of many dedicated volunteers, city officials and local businesses and organizations whose sponsorships ensure the celebrations can continue.

This year’s Juneteenth commemorations offer a chance to relax with friends and family and enjoy outdoor fun — as well as an opportunity to look back at where our country has been, and where we hope it can go.