DONALDSONVILLE - The city of Donaldsonville is getting ready for its 29th Annual Juneteenth Music Festival.

The festival will be held in Louisiana Square located at 300 Railroad Avenue. It kicks off Saturday morning at 11. Several bands will perform throughout the day.

"It's a family affair so you'll have music, vendors fried chicken, red beans, gumbo, seafood, boiled food, whatever you want, whatever you like, it's going to be here. So we're just excited to have everyone," Tamiko Garrison, chairperson of the festival, said.

The most notable is "The Michael Foster Project" from Baton Rouge which will hit the stage from 4 p.m. until 5:30. Organizers say you should bring your lawn chairs and blankets.

"It brings people into our community, which helps the economy. People will buy food here, people will be able to shop here in the city of Donaldsonville while the festival is going on. We're excited because it brings people to the community and when it brings people to the community that helps to grow your economy," Mayor Leroy Sullivan says.

Juneteenth, which is celebrated on June 19, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where in 1865, enslaved people were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.

Other Juneteenth events in the capital region over the weekend include: 

- A march commemorating the Buffalo Soldiers — all African-American regiments formed in 1866 — in St. Gabriel starting at Mount Bethel Baptist Church (Friday at 5:30 p.m.)
- Envision The Streets, a music festival with local artists, held at the Denham Springs-Walker Branch Library (Saturday at 1 p.m.)
- State Rep. Clara Denise Marcelle is hosting a Juneteenth Celebration at the Gus Young Park in Baton Rouge with Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome (Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.)
- Camp Empowerment's annual Juneteenth Community Celebration in Denham Springs at the PARDS L.M. Lockhart Park Gym (Wednesday at 1 p.m.)