Alton's Juneteenth Celebration Returns to Killion Park

ALTON - Community members are invited to Alton’s 35th annual Juneteenth event this weekend.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Killion Park in Alton, Riverbend residents can enjoy music, food vendors, crafts, free rides for kids and everything “from A to Z,” said organizer Lee Barham. The 35th annual event promises to be a day for community members to reflect on the history of Juneteenth while coming together for fun activities.

“This is not a Black community event; this is all of our event,” Barham said. “Everybody is welcome up there. We are getting a very mixed crowd. That’s what we are most proud of, because that way, if each one teach one, then you can understand the view of other people.”

This is one of Alton’s biggest events every year. Barham anticipates nearly 1,100 people will attend the Juneteenth event at Killion Park.

He emphasized the importance of “giving back to our youth” through initiatives like the free rides. He hopes many young people and families come out to engage with the community.

Juneteenth is commemorated annually on June 19 to mark the day Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865. Despite the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, people were still enslaved in Texas. The Union troops’ arrival led to the proclamation’s enforcement, officially ending slavery in the United States.

Local pastor Joyce Elliott traveled to Texas in the 1990s and learned of Juneteenth, which led to Alton’s first Juneteenth celebration in her backyard in 1991. Thirty-four years later, the event is an annual favorite in Alton.

Barham believes appreciation for and recognition of Juneteenth has grown since former President Joe Biden declared it a federal holiday in 2021. He is proud that Alton can carry on the tradition.

“This marks my 34th consecutive year of featuring Juneteenth,” Barham said. “I have seen it grow by leaps and bounds. People are really excited about it. It’s a community event for all.”

While Alton’s event is a celebration and promises plenty of fun for attendees, Barham hopes the history of Juneteenth lives on and reminds people of the holiday’s solemn beginning.

“Even though America is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year on the Fourth of July, Black people have only been free since 1863,” he added.

This event is sponsored by the Alton Juneteenth Committee. For any questions, contact 618-910-7422.

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