Flaco Guapo Media
Written by Mikaela Oliver, ASU Intern

SAN ANGELO- Just days after Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday, the Blackshear Height Family non-profit hosted their 3rd annual Juneteenth parade on Saturday.

The parade began at 10 a.m. and went down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, ending at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, where more festivities began.

 The parade featured Buffalo Soldier reenactors, local San Angelo businesses, a youth basketball team, and Six Skulls, a bike club.

Afterward, Martin Luther King Jr. Park was brought to life as hundreds of people came out to celebrate the day, with music playing, an art show, Bahama Bucks snow cones, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, craft vendors, and a BBQ cook-off.

This year’s event had a greater turnout than past years and additional community involvement, according to Lucretia Williams, a board member of the Blackshear Height Family.

Juneteenth becomes the 12th federally declared holiday and the first since 1963 when Martin Luther King Jr. Day became official.

“it’s a long time coming and it feels so so wonderful,” said Williams. “Its (Juneteenth is) freedom, its family, its liberty, all of that good stuff… love, that’s what it means.”