MARSHALLVILLE, Ga. — A couple hundred people came out to Marshallville on Saturday, as the town held its third annual Juneteenth celebration.
The event was a large get-together to celebrate the holiday, which is officially on June 19.
It kicked off with a parade, something event coordinator Patricia Thomas said they had never done before. The parade lined up around 9:30 a.m., started around 10 a.m. and ran until 11:30 a.m. Thomas said she was proud to see it all come together.
“The freedom that Juneteenth gave everyone the freedom that everyone... be treated equally,” Thomas said. “That is the reason why Juneteenth is so important to all of us."
After the parade, festivities moved to Julius Rice Park on Sleepy Hollow Road until about 3 p.m. Vendors sold a variety of baked goods and some sold homemade jewelry. There was also a barbecue and other food available for attendees.
There was also a kickball tournament and two people earned trophies.
Most people at the event simply kicked back in a chair, listened to music and celebrated a day that means so much to so many.