Local businesses and organizations have joined forces to sponsor this year's Juneteenth celebration in the Quad Cities. The yearly festival commemorates June 19th, 1865, the day Union Soldiers announced emancipation of the slaves in Galveston, Texas.
Sponsorship Chair Dwight Bailey says the commemoration will start with a Unity March.
The day's events also include an obstacle course, a Motown concert, and a group art project using painted tiles to create a model of the new Harriet Tubman twenty dollar bill.
The Harriet Tubman Twenty will be on display at the King Center in Rock Island after the festival.
Organizations involved in Juneteenth include the Metro Youth Band from Rock Island, two local high school ROTC programs, churches, sororities, fraternities, and community organizations. Money raised at Juneteenth at LeClaire Park in Davenport will support scholarships for local college students.
Sponsors include Wells Fargo, The FIGGE Art Museum, and Famous Dave's.