Juneteenth holiday to be celebrated on Waltham Common

The Waltham Boys & Girls Club will host a Juneteenth celebration on Waltham Common this Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This newest national holiday commemorates the date June 19, 1865, when during the U.S. Civil War Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and read General Order No. 3 informing enslaved Texans that they were free.

The date had come to be known as Black Independence Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and the Nation’s Second Independence Day. It became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, under President Joe Biden. 

The celebration on Waltham Common honors the significance of the holiday through celebration, education and connection. Attendees can enjoy live performances, interactive readings featuring books by Black authors, family activities, lawn games, food and a bounce house, as well as Black-owned businesses and vendors. Register to avoid the check-in line and get a gift bag.

All Waltham city offices and the Waltham Public Library will be closed on Friday, June 19.

There will be no trash or recycling collection on June 19. Friday pickups will be delayed by one day.