Celebrating Juneteenth: Visit SF's Fillmore District for 71st festival Saturday

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The 71st Annual San Francisco Juneteenth Festival will be held in the Fillmore District on Saturday. It has been hosted in the same community since its inception.

Tamika Chenier is the director of the festival and played a role in creating this year's theme, #TogetherWeCan.

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Chenier chatted with ABC7 News anchor Jobina Fortson about the significance of Juneteenth in 2021. The holiday has dramatically grown in popularity over the last year. President Joe Biden signed a bill on Thursday to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.

WATCH: Biden signs bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday

President Joe Biden signed legislation Thursday establishing a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery, saying he believes it will go down as one of the greatest honors he has as president.

"It's a little bitter sweet right," Chenier said. "But, it's just so exciting. I had a dear friend who used to run the festival, her name was Rachel Townsend and she passed away in 2018 and that's when I took this festival on, so I think of her. I think of the moments we spoke on the phone and this day, this dream, that really came true."

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According to Chenier, Saturday's festivities will include history lessons on Juneteenth, honoring ancestors and a good time. The event will be located in and around the Fillmore Heritage Center from 12p.m. to 5p.m.

See more stories and videos related to Juneteenth here.