Juneteenth celebration comes to Stewart Heights Park for third year
For the third year in a row, the largest Juneteenth celebration in Washington State is coming to Stewart Heights Park. Juneteenth Celebration: A Road to Economic Freedom will feature music, food, vendors and community connections for thousands of attendees.
The Board of Park Commissioners presented a proclamation in recognition of Juneteenth to event organizer WayOut Kids at the June 9 Park Board meeting.
Juneteenth Celebration: A Road to Economic Freedom will take place at Stewart Heights Park on Thursday, June 19 from 11am-5pm. More information, including how to take a free shuttle ride to the celebration, is available on the event page.
learn moreA Proclamation in Celebration of Juneteenth
WHEREAS, on June 19, 1865, Union Army Major General Gordon Granger led troops into Galveston, Texas, and presented an order announcing all enslaved people were now free, two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, and
WHEREAS, this holiday is the oldest known observance of the end of slavery in the United States and commemorates the hardship, resilience and bravery of Black Americans in the right for freedom; and
WHEREAS, Juneteenth did not mark the end of racism in America, but is a critical and culturally significant milestone in the ongoing struggle to end all forms of race-based oppression; and
WHEREAS, guided by our core values and a firm commitment to equity and inclusion, our agency acknowledges the ongoing existence and impacts of racism, and the importance for all in our community to experience a sense of belonging within our public parks and recreation opportunities; and
WHEREAS, we are grateful to WayOut Kids and their passionate network of partners for hosting an annual Juneteenth event for community members that will take place on June 19 at Stewart Heights Park and anticipated to be the largest Juneteenth celebration in Washington State.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Park Commissioners hereby proclaims Juneteenth as a Parks Tacoma holiday and encourages all Tacomans to celebrate this day in honor of the hard-won freedom of Black Americans.
The foregoing proclamation was adopted by the Board of Park Commissioners of the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma at a regularly scheduled meeting held on June 9, 2025.