Members of the Minnesota based Duniya Drum and Dance Team performed a drum and dance set to hundreds of attendees.

MARSHALL — As members of the Duniya Drum and Dance Team performed on stage, attendees at Friday’s Juneteenth celebration at Justice Park walked up to the floor to dance along to the music. The dancers led the crowd with their moves.

According to Jasmine DeSmet, the community education coordinator at Marshall Community Services, this is the third year Marshall has hosted a Juneteenth event.

Juneteenth marks the anniversary of Black liberation in America. One hundred and sixty-one years ago soldiers went down to Texas to inform the people there that slavery had ended. Two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was declared. According to the city of Marshall, many consider it to be America’s second independence day.

The event started with was a lunch and chat event involving various food vendors. According to DeSmet, the city of Marshall wanted to have food from a variety of different cultures, including African American, Asian and Mexican.

“It gives people a chance to try food they might otherwise not have,” DeSmet said.

In addition to the food, new inclusions this year included a face painting station and signs put up across the area, sharing links to the history of both Juneteenth and African American history, giving context to why so many celebrate Juneteenth, DeSmet said.

The main celebration was held in the afternoon. The event began with opening statements from Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes emphasizing the importance of community and celebrating the national holiday together in Marshall.

“When those Union soldiers marched down to Galveston, Texas, and freed 250,000 Americans, that was significant,” Byrnes said.

After Byrnes’ opening remarks was a performance of the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing,”sometimes referred to as the Black National Anthem. Then came performances by two Minnesota-based artists — the Duniya Drum and Dance Team, and DJ Advance, a professional DJ of 20 years who’s worked with the Minnesota Timberwolves and once was an opening DJ at the Superbowl.

“We always celebrate Juneteenth,” DJAdvance said. “I would be at my family’s house, DJ-ing there if I wasn’t here.”

The stage performances weren’t the only thing attendees could enjoy that evening. The event included bounce houses and food vendors.

“I’m always so happy to see how many people come out to events like these,” DeSmet said. “It’s a great way to celebrate the history, local community and different cultures.”