Prairie Village’s third Juneteenth Freedom Celebration with Funk Syndicate
The annual celebration includes entertainment and cash prizes for "What Juneteenth Means to Me" art competition.
Prairie Village presents its third annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration & Poster/Essay Contest at 4 p.m. on June 17 at Harmon Park. The free event provides food, drink, and entertainment to commemorate emancipation in the United States.
The celebration hosts Funk Syndicate to perform and recreate Funk, R&B, Soul, Disco, and Pop dance hits. Families can also enjoy face paintings, inflatables, and additional art activities. Poster and Essay contest winners will be announced during this time.
The Juneteenth Poster and Essay Contest is designed for others to learn more about the holiday. Participants must create a poster or essay of “What Juneteenth Means to Me.” The top three winners are selected from the age brackets with $25, $50, and $100 prizes. Poster brackets include ages 5-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Essay brackets include ages 13-15 and 16-18. Submissions for the contest are due June 12.
Juneteenth is a national holiday that recognizes and celebrates the end of slavery. The holiday originates in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 with June 19 celebrated as African American Emancipation Day. Known as Juneteenth, the holiday was first federally recognized in 2021.
STAND Up for Black Lives + Prairie Village is a group of citizens that advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in their community. In addition to this organization, Prairie Village’s Diversity Committee, Village Presbyterian Church, and Johnson County NAACP are sponsoring the Juneteenth event. For more information about the event and contests, visit the website here.
