Local Events Planned For Juneteeth Holiday

Neighbor’s Day, the main event as a part of Des Moines’ Juneteenth celebrations, features live music, food and more. It will start at 11 a.m. Saturday at Western Gateway Park. Photo: Iowa Juneteeth.

There are a few events lined up for Des Moines Juneteenth, an annual holiday honoring the Emancipation Proclamation, later this week.

While the official observance is Saturday, the first event takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday, featuring a speech by Cleophus Franklin Jr., an entrepreneur, author and speaker, at Drake University’s Olmsted Center. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, “The Road to Justice,” a documentary by Andre Robert Lee covering two civil rights groups, will be shown at the Jamie Hurd Amphitheater in West Des Moines.

The Juneteenth celebration, Neighbor’s Day, starts at 11 a.m. Saturday at Western Gateway Park. There will be music, a parade, food trucks, art showcases and more. Admission is free. Find more information online.

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