Juneteenth celebrations kick off in Topeka

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States, dating back to 1865.

Saturday, hundreds of people came together for the sixth annual Juneteenth celebration at Hillcrest Park.

"It’s just nice for everybody to come out and have a good time, and it's great for the community,” Randy Wheat, vice president of the event, said. “We get more and more people here every year."

While the holiday isn't until this Wednesday, celebrations kicked off on a sunny weekend in Topeka.

"We’ve got a lot of vendors here, we've got bands, stereo competitions,” Wheat said.

"We’ve had a lot of entertainment,” Norma Avery, president of the event, added. “The kids have balloon blowing and face-painting."

From food, to music, to history, the event was all about bringing the community together.

"That's the best feeling for me,’ Wheat said.

"This is something that we all should remember and celebrate,” Avery said. “We've just been having a great time."