Juneteenth celebrations in Kern County

CELEBRATING THE NEW HOLIDAYINCLUDING MULTIPLEORGANIZATIONS RIGHT HERE IN KERNCOUNTY.23ABC'S KRISTIN VARTAN JOINS USLIVE FROM THE JUNETEENTHHERITAGE FESTIVAL AT BEACH PARKTO TELL US ABOUTHOW OUR BLACK COMMUNITY ISCELEBRATING THIS HOLIDAY.

HEYKRISTIN.HEY AUSTIN, THIS IS THE SECONDJUNETEENTH HERITAGEFESTIVAL BUT THE FIRST YEAR INJUNETEENTH'S OVER A CENTURYAND A HALF HISTORY THAT IT'SBEEN RECOGNIZED ASFEDERAL HOLIDAY.VO: CELEBRATIONS HAVE BEENUNDERWAY HERAT THE HERITAGE FESTIVAL SINCE1PM.

AN ORGANIZER SAYSTHERE'S ABOUT 25 VENDORS HERETODAY, SOME OF THEM CATERINGFOOD FROM LOCAL BLACK- OWNEDEATERIES, OTHERS LOCALBLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES.ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THISEVENT, XENIA KING SAYS THATGATHERINGS LIKE TODAY OVER FOODLIKE BLACK EYED PEWATERMELON, AND CABBAGE ANDFRIED FISH, MUSIC ANDCONVERSATION IS NOT JUST A FORMOF CELEBRATION IT'S PAYINGHOMAGE TO THE PAST.TAKE SOT ((:24))XENIA KINGORGANIZER, JUNETEENTH HERITAGEFESTIV"A LONG TIME AGO THIS IS HOWPEOPLE GOT TO, DURING SLAVERGOT TO EASE SOME OF THE PAIN ANDSOME OF THE HARDSHIP THEHAD GONE THROUGH BACK THEN.

SOTODAY, FREELY MAY I SAY,WE GET TO SHARE THESE FOODS ANDSHARE OUR LIVES.AND THIS IS NOT THE ONLYJUNETEENTH EVENT TODAY.

THEDOLORES HUERTA FOUNDATION ISHOLDING A JUNETEENEVENT WITH FOOD, MUSIC GAMES ANDA RAFFLE THATSTARTED AT 4PM TODAY.

MASKS AREREQUIRED IF YOU WANT TOHEAD OVER.WASCO HOSTED A JUNETEENTHCELEBRATION AT 10AM THISMORNING.

WASCO'S BLACK COMMUNITYOF FAITH.AND FOR THOSE IN BAKERSFIELD,THE JUNETEENTH HERITAGFESTIVAL IS WRAPPING UP RIGHTNOW AT BEACH PARK--BUTIF YOU MISSED THIS ONE, THERE'SA JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION ATYOKUTS PARK UNTIL 8PM TODAY THATTHE NAACP IS HOSTING.STAY TUNED TONIGHT AT 11PM TOLEARN MORE ABOUT HOW OURCOMMUNITY IS CELEBRATING THISHISTORIC DAY.

LIVE AT BEACHPARK, KRISTIN VARTAN 23ABC NEWSCONNECTING YOU.THE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD IS THELATEST KERN COUNTY CITANNOUNCING THE RETURN OF