One Olmsted at Juneteenth Celebration

The 19th Rochester Juneteenth Event was held on Saturday, June 15th at Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Park to celebrate the upcoming Juneteenth Day on June 19th. Despite the wind and rain, a great crowd enjoyed live music, food, and vendors of all kinds that provided local resources and Black-owned small businesses. There were periodic speeches and performances from community members, including a slam poet, singer, and the celebration of the 2024 Mr. and Miss Juneteenth scholarship recipients. 

The Olmsted County / One Olmsted table was filled with informational brochures and sheets, activity books for children, and Juneteenth bracelets for all to grab! There was much promotion for the Moving Olmsted Voices for Equity Community Council, which is made of community members with diverse identities to give insight into how Olmsted County projects, programs, and services could better help the needs of those they serve.  

There were many questions and conversations about the services that Olmsted County offers. Eventgoers were interested in the upcoming election, the new M.O.V.E Community Council, One Olmsted’s future work, and what departments like Public Health, Adult & Family Services, and Child & Family Services had to offer for community members. The excited energy surrounding the event was most definitely felt as people were passionate about the mission of Juneteenth and the progress Olmsted County has made to better support those it serves!