St. Louis Park To Host Juneteenth Celebration Next Month

ST. LOUIS PARK, MN —A Juneteenth celebration will be held next month in St. Louis Park and it will feature entertainment, a guest speaker and food, the city has announced.

The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on June 19 at ROC, 3700 Monterey Drive, and it is sponsored by the City of St. Louis Park, St. Louis Park Community Education and St. Louis Park Parktacular.

St. Louis Park native Imani Jackson, the executive chef and owner of Minneapolis catering business Chopped & Served, will deliver the keynote speech from 12:30 pm. to 1 p.m. She also will hand out food samples.

According to the company's website, Jackson — who is Black and Jewish — brings what she calls "blewish" cuisine and flavors to the Twin Cities.

The company's mission, according to its website, is "to ensure families have the necessary resources in order to prevent hunger in any way possible."

The public can purchase meal sponsorships online, which allow Chopped & Served to provide fresh and sustainable meals for families from misrepresented communities. Anonymous donations also are accepted.

In addition to Jackson, the Juneteenth celebration also is scheduled to include performances by singer The Lioness, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., and gospel singer Jovonta Patton, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Juneteenth is an annual holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.