This year's annual Juneteenth Heritage Festival, recognizing the abolition of slaveryacross the South in 1865, will feature live music, food and children's activities Saturday in downtown Meridian.

Craig Houston, committee co-chair of the festival with Louis Sutton, said the event celebrates when Union soldiers arrived in Texas in 1865, nearly two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, and told the slaves they were free.

"When they heard, people just started dancing and celebrating," Houston said. "Juneteenth is the oldest celebration of the end of slavery."

Houston said gospel, R&B and blues artists - such as Just A Few Cats, Jeff Floyd, Vick Allen and Darius Ewing &The Groovaholix - will perform at Saturday's event in downtown Meridian's Singing Brakeman Park, on Front Street near the Union Train Station. Vendors, crafts and food will be available.

The event is typically held in thecity's historic African-American Business District on Fifth Street, butthe event had to be movedbecause of ongoing street work, Houston said.Hesaid he hopes the festival will returnto the historic district next year.

Advance tickets cost $10 and are available at Sam's Fashion, at 2301 Fifth Street. Tickets at the gate cost $15. The event opens to the public at 4 p.m. and the entertainment, which starts at 5 p.m., will last until midnight.

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Juneteenth Festival set for Saturday in Meridian - Meridian Star