DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroiters celebrated Juneteenth Friday from the riverfront to the heart of downtown, with two major festivals drawing crowds to Hart Plaza and Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.
Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report:
The Hart of Detroit Festival featured live music, cultural programming, and vendors from Black-owned businesses.
Musical artists took the stage as the celebration was set to continue until midnight.
Joe Willie, an attendee at the festival, said, "I love to see my people out celebrating being free... I'm loving it."
Tahjee Washington, another attendee, said, "Music brings everybody together, so I'm glad this was an event that was held on this day."
June 19 honors the day the last enslaved people in America were set free.
Silver Moore, a Detroit resident, said, "We are celebrating Black people in this country, our freedom and our culture, and what better place to do that than Detroit, which I consider the capital of Blackness in America."
Shoppers at the festival were also able to support Black-owned businesses.
Penny Fombi, owner of Goddess Beads, said, "To see that everybody is supported and keeping the money flow within our people is great."
Across town at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, residents gathered along the Detroit Riverfront for a separate Juneteenth celebration that also featured Black-owned business vendors.
Damia Taylor, an attendee at the riverfront event, said, "It's a great day to get out and celebrate our freedom, what our ancestors have done, and look forward to the future of what we're going to do with our community."
Sirrita Darby, owner of Elevated Sillage, was among the vendors at the riverfront celebration.
Darby said, "Being a person here and being a vendor and giving back to the community and extending the economy. That is what Juneteenth is about."
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