Harper College will once again join community partners to host Juneteenth in the Burbs, a free community celebration honoring Black history, culture and the ongoing significance of the Juneteenth holiday. The event will take place 1-6 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at the Drs. Kenneth and Catherine Ender Outdoor Pavilion on Harper’s Palatine campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road.
This year’s celebration will feature live music and performances throughout the afternoon, including appearances by the Harper Jazz Ensemble, Harper’s Triple H hip-hop dance crew, Funk Brotherz, Hustle and Float Soul Line Dancing, DJ Yella and community performers. Chicago media personality Glenn Marshall will serve as master of ceremonies.
Juneteenth in the Burbs is presented by iCU Community in partnership with Harper, Schaumburg Township and the Schaumburg Township District Library. Now in its third year at Harper, the event has become a regional gathering that brings together hundreds of people in the northwest suburbs.
Free refreshments will be available while supplies last and attendees can visit more than 30 vendors, businesses and community organizations. Lawn games and family-friendly activities will be available throughout the event, creating opportunities for guests of all ages to learn, connect and celebrate together. New this year, Versiti Blood Center of Illinois will host a blood drive, starting before the event at noon until 4 p.m.
Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets, as seating is limited. Tents and large coolers are not permitted. Free parking will be available in lots 8, 9, 10 and 14. In the event of inclement weather, activities will move indoors to Building M.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Today, the holiday serves as both a celebration of liberation and an opportunity to reflect on Black history, resilience and achievement.
For more information about Juneteenth in the Burbs, visit iCU Community’s events page.