Local News
From free movie Friday to community celebration, many celebrated Juneteenth in La Crosse
The community celebration continues until 8 tonight.
Numerous La Crosse nonprofits collaborated on the Juneteenth celebration over the weekend.
Friday, The Rivoli hosted free showings of the 2020 film, Soul.
Saturday’s event at Riverside Park featured guest speakers, free food, bounce houses, a talent show, live music, as well as about 50 booths, including community resources and Black owned businesses, circled the park.
Actors performing historical reenactments from the Enduring Families Project highlighted the local history of early African-Americans settlers in numerous locations in downtown La Crosse in the afternoon.
The lineup also included the declaration of Juneteenth by La Crosse’s Mayor Mitch Reynolds, Urban Quartet The Mayfield Experience, Chris Jones hypnosis and a family TikTok challenge before music and dancing to end the night.
Hundreds of community members joined to celebrate the Emancipation of Slavery with this year’s theme: Education through Celebration. The event was hosted by: Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge, Black Student Leaders, Enduring Families, Hope Restores, & UW-L’s Black Student Unity.