Where to celebrate Juneteenth 2016 in Houston

By Alex Wukman

Houston, TX – The Houston-Galveston area is gearing up for this year’s Juneteenth celebration. The annual holiday commemorates June 19, 1865 — the day Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas and announced that the Civil War was over and that all slaves were free.
Although, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, the order had little impact on the daily lives of the estimated 250,000 slaves in Texas. One reason why slavery was still being practiced in Texas two-and-a-half years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation was the lack of Union troops to enforce the decree. 
While Juneteenth is celebrated in over 40 states across the U.S. and is a Texas-wide holiday, Houston is — and most likely always will be — the holiday’s spiritual home. Juneteenth celebrations have become so intertwined with Houston that this year the city is closing streets for two separate parades. For those who aren’t familiar with how H-Town rolls for the ‘Teenth, it’s important to understand something: this ain’t a one day event. 
Juneteenth in Houston is a week-long event and much of the celebrating is done at Emancipation Park, 3018 Dowling St. Because this year’s flooding has made a mess out of Emancipation Park, this year’s party has been spread around the city. 

Here’s a brief rundown of what’s happening when and where: 

Sat. June 11, 2016: 
2 p.m.-5p.m. 
The Mildred Johnson Miss Juneteenth Pageant 
Trinity United Methodist Church, 2600 Holman St., Houston TX 77004 
Although named ‘Miss Juneteenth,’ the annual pageant is also open to aspiring Mister Juneteenths. The event allows people age 3-19 to show off their poise and courtesy and to exhibit their talents. 
Tickets: $8 
Contestant Entry/Registration Fee: $35 

Tue. June, 14 2016: 
12 p.m.-3 p.m. 
The Lonal X. Robinson Freedom Stars Talent Show 
Third Ward Multi-Service Center, 3611 Ennis St., Houston, TX 77004 
People age 3-19 compete for the Emancipation Park Freedom Awards. The competition is open to individuals and groups. 
Entry Fee for individuals: $10 
Entry Fee for groups with up to 10 members: $25 
Entry Fee for groups with more than 11 members: $50 

Sat. June 18, 2016: 
10 a.m.-7 p.m. 
The 43rd Annual Juneteenth Parade and Freedom Fest with grand marshal former Texas State Representative Al Edwards. 
The parade will begin staging at 9 a.m. at 4400 Ennis St., at the intersection of Wheeler Avenue, before heading west on Wheeler Avenue for about one-third of a mile to Dowling Street. 
The parade will then turn north on Dowling Street and travel for about one-half of a mile to Holman Street. The parade is scheduled to head east to Project Row House, 2521 Holman St., where it will ultimately end with entertainment, food and vendors. 
Participation in the parade is free to bands, drummers, dancers, performance groups, cheer and step teams. Walking soldiers, veterans, and families pushing wheelchairs and strollers do not have to pay a participation fee, as do people riding non-motorized bicycles, unicycles and tricycles. 
Individuals that wish to use motorcycles or horses in the parade have to pay $10, walking clubs and organizations are required to pay $25 to participate. Anyone wishing to drive car, van, wagon or truck will have to pay $50, corporate sponsors and groups that want to enter floats will have to pay $150 to participate. 

10 a.m.-12 p.m. 
Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Fifth Annual Acres Homes Juneteenth Parade 
The parade begins at the Acres Homes Multi-Service Center, 6719 W. Montgomery Rd., and then heads north on West Montgomery Road for about one-mile before turning west onto Dolly Wright Street. The parade will go about one-tenth of a mile on Dolly Wright Street to the Greater Zion Baptist Church, 1620 Dolly Wright St. 

12 p.m.-9 p.m. 
Fourth Annual Juneteenth (not yet Uhuru) Freedom and Music Festival 
Fifth Ward Community Garden, 3707 Brill St., Houston, TX 77062 
Hosted by the Houston chapter of the All African People’s Development and Empowerment Project (AAPDEP) this Juneteenth celebration looks to mix some old school activist politics with music from legendary Houston soul man Archie Bell, of Archie Bell and the Drells, as well as grooves from jazz and hip-hop performer Khalia K. Nice. Ray Williams and the Major Tones and the Soul Show Live will also be kicking out the jams. 
Organizers have also booked three keynote speakers for the event: Omali Yeshitela, chairman of African People’s Socialist Party; Aisha Fields, the AAPDEP’s international director; and Herdosia Bentum, president of the International Democratic Uhuru Movement. 

Sun. June 19, 2016 
7:30 p.m. – midnight 
Houston’s Juneteenth Celebration 
Miller Outdoor Theatre 
6000 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, Texas 77030 
Legendary funk and soul jazz saxophonist, Maceo Parker brings his band to Houston for a free performance to celebrate Juneteenth. There will also be performances from ThunderSOUL Orchestra and Writers in the Schools's award-winnng poetry-slam team Meta-Four Houston. 
Although the event is free, tickets are required for covered seating. Tickets are limited to four per person over the age of 16-years-old and will be distributed at the Miller Outdoor Theatre Box Office between 10: 30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the day of the performance. If tickets remain, the box office will reopen one hour before show time to distribute the remaining tickets. 

For those who don’t want to fight traffic to get their Juneteenth on, there are celebrations in the Sugarland-Stafford-Missouri City area, Pasadena and Clear Lake-Galveston areas. Also if we missed any Juneteenth celebrations drop us an e-mail or post in the comment below, just don’t be surprised if your Uncle’s block party doesn’t make the list. 

alex.wukman@patch.com