The city of Mount Vernon hosted a large Juneteenth celebration on Wednesday as it marks freedom, resilience and the rich cultural heritage of the African American community.

"We're still here as a culture, as a people and it's just beautiful that my generation and the generation after is still coming together as a unit," Mount Vernon resident Kira Scott said.

Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the United States and officially marks when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to ensure all enslaved people were free. That moment happened 2 1/2 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Participants started at City Hall at noon and made their way to Hartley Park on N Fifth Avenue to continue the celebration.

City officials reminded people to be mindful of the extreme heat during the event. They recommended people drink plenty of water, wear light clothing and avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks.

Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard said while America has made progress, there's still a lot of work to be done to improve equity for all.

"We have to be able to talk about it and educate our children because we can't turn away from the part of our history that we don't like, we have to talk about all of the history in this country in order for us to fully move forward and be free," she said.

Participants said the event was important to honor the past while continue striving for equality and justice for all.