Previously Canceled Kendall County Juneteenth Celebration Will Be Held At Yorkville Church

YORKVILLE, IL — The Yorkville Congregational United Church of Christ is hosting a Juneteenth celebration Thursday after the City of Plano canceled its planned celebration earlier this year, according to a report from ABC7.

Dubbed "Juneteenth in Kendall County: A Celebration of Love and Education," the fifth annual event will take place from 4-8 p.m. at the church, 409 Center Parkway. The celebration will feature poetry, live performances, games, music food, vendors and community, organizers said.

"It's going to be a fun day," Plano 2nd Ward Alderman Jamal Williams told Shaw Local. "And we're planning for good weather because God has blessed us each year with that. If we have to move inside, we have the ability to do that as well."

The June 19 federal holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when word finally reached the last enslaved people in Texas that the Civil War had ended, and they were free. It was more than two months after the end of the Civil War, and about 2.5 years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

In February 2021, Plano was the first municipality in Illinois to adopt Juneteenth as an official holiday. The city had previously hosted a free event each year until canceling it in January, citing "community engagement and negative feedback," ABC7 reported. It was revived thanks to efforts from event organizers and feedback from the community, finding a home at the Yorkville church, according to WCSJ News.

Here is a look at the schedule of events for the afternoon:

• 4 p.m. Opening ceremony
• 4:15 p.m. Children's games
• 5:30 p.m. Double Dutch Over 40 Team
• 6 p.m. Yorkville Step Team Performance
• 7 p.m. The Hurricane Project performance