Saturday celebration kicks off Juneteenth observance

Sarasota County offices will be open for business on June 19, as will Longboat Key’s and Manatee County's, but the city of Sarasota, circuit court, banks and federal offices will close in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.

Trash collection will not be affected, regardless.

In the city of Sarasota:

• Arlington Park and Aquatic Complex will operate from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day.
• Lido Pool will be closed.
• Payne Park Tennis Center will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• The Robert L. Taylor Community Complex will operate from 6 to 10 a.m.
• The box office at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall will be closed.

A Juneteenth celebration, co-sponsored by the city, will take place from 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 14 on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way between Osprey Avenue and Pershing Avenue. This free event will feature live music, food trucks, vendors, and activities.

As part of the June 14 event, the city will give away 50 trees of various species. The giveaway will continue while the supply of trees lasts at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way and North Links Avenue. City residents must produce documentation of their address within city limits.

For information about the Saturday event, contact Gwendalyn Fleetwood at 941-536-6906.

The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe also is planning to host its third annual Juneteenth Arts Festival on June 22 at its home on Orange Avenue.