McMinnville sponsors Juneteenth celebration

McMinnville’s third annual Juneteenth celebration will be held Friday, June 19.

The city-sponsored event will be held outside Bierly Brewing, 624 N.E. Third St., from 5 to 8:30 p.m. It will feature readings, children’s activities and live music.

The event coincides with the first week of Mac Fresco, the outdoor dining and entertainment events held throughout the summer.

The bookmobile will be on site with children’s activities focused on diverse stories of freedom and emancipation, according to city staff.

City Council President Sal Peralta will make opening remarks, and the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee is selecting a reading from the civil rights era.

The program begins at 6 p.m. and band RainyVEWS will take the stage at 6:30 p.m.

The celebration has grown steadily, gathering an estimated 50 people in 2024 and 100 last year, according to Communications and Engagement Manager Noelle Amaya.

“We’re really hoping to see a good turnout this year,” she told the News-Register.