BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute will host a cookout to celebrate Juneteenth with the Birmingham community next weekend.

The cookout will take place on June 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 520 16th St. North. The cookout will allow free admission to all of BCRI’s historic galleries and will feature food trucks, live entertainment, tournaments, workshops, a children’s village and more. 

Admission is free, but those interested are encouraged to RSVP online.

Juneteenth, which falls on June 19, is celebrated on the anniversary of the order from Major General Gordon Granger, in 1865, that proclaimed freedom for slaves in Texas. This order came two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln. 

The holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.

To volunteer, sign up for workshops or learn more, visit the event’s page here.