Black Lives Matter protesters setting down signs to celebrate Juneteenth on Saturday
Painters, dancers, rappers and poets are coming to Kurtzmann Park for a different kind of rally Saturday.
After three weeks of taking to the streets with picket signs to protest police brutality and racism, the members of Black Lives Matter: Tri-Cities is holding an art rally at Pasco’s Kurtzman Park.
The event starts at noon June 20 at 331 Wehe Ave. in Pasco and will include performers of all types.
“As we know, our #BlackJoy is a protest in itself. We will have a beautiful art show featuring some of the Tri-Cities own poets, painters, singers, rappers and dancers,” according to the event’s Facebook page.
Juneteenth celebrations date back to June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War was over and slaves were free, explains the Juneteenth website.
The celebration has been a feature in Pasco for decades, and included parades, games, food and music. It also has a scholarship program which was canceled this year because of the the coronavirus pandemic.
Organizers of Saturday’s event are asking people to bring their protective masks and practice social distancing.
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 2:58 PM.