Despite heavy rain and a last minute location change, Unalaska held its first-ever Juneteenth event. More than 50 community members showed up to celebrate at the Burma Road Chapel on June 19.
Alia Franklin, special events coordinator with Unalaska’s Parks Culture and Recreation Department, said she wasn’t expecting a strong turnout given the sideways rain that day.
“I didn't expect this many people,” Franklin said. “I really thought no one was gonna show up. But I'm so appreciative that the community came out.”
The event featured music from DJ Carlos Tayag, who spotlighted Black funk artists, bringing people of all ages to the dance floor to celebrate throughout the evening.
The Unalaska Fire and Parks Departments served homemade mac and cheese, chicken wings and other backyard barbecue favorites.
Franklin said in addition to food and fun, the event was about honoring Juneteenth’s history.
The federally recognized holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers informed slaves in Texas of their freedom, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
“I feel like today is for truth,” Franklin said. “To really push out there what it’s about. We're not just here to celebrate, but I wanted people to understand why we're here.”
Franklin said Unalaska’s inaugural Juneteenth event was a success and hopes the celebration will continue for years to come.
