PEORIA, Ill. – A wide-reaching celebration of Juneteenth in Peoria for 2026 is well underway.
While some events have already taken place, leaders with the city, Park District, and community came together at the Gateway Building to list what has occurred, and what is to come.
The Miss Juneteenth Pageant took place over Memorial Day weekend. This upcoming Saturday will have the Ernestine Jackson Juneteenth Freedom Parade in downtown Peoria, as Juneteenth Fest on the Riverfront. Jubilee Day will take place on June 19th on the Riverfront.
Mayor Rita Ali says the community-wide collaboration celebrates the unfinished journey towards freedom and equality.
“What began as individual efforts has become a month-long community wide celebration that reaches every corner of our city, and engages people of all ages,” Ali said.
Park District Board of Trustees President Robert Johnson noted that Juneteenth is more than a day on the calendar. He says it’s a “call to reflect on the hard truths of our past,” and to celebrate the resilience and contributions of black Americans.
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