WATCH: FOX6 Weekend WakeUp Milwaukee Juneteenth preview show

MILWAUKEE - Juneteenth is less than a week away, and the festive energy was alive and well during FOX6 Weekend WakeUp's special Juneteenth preview show – here's a recap.

Juneteenth preview show

What they're saying:

From the FOX6 studio to the atrium, it was a Juneteenth takeover on Saturday.

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"Got a hard passion for cooking that I picked up in Tennessee, and now it’s a ministry to us as well," said Michael Hester, Pop's BBQ Memphis-Style CEO. "We traveled through Milwaukee and made Milwaukee our home."

"This is Milwaukee. It’s not just an African-American thing, it’s a Milwaukee thing, so we want everyone to participate," said Tony Kearney, Juneteenth Milwaukee president.

"Freedom isn’t free, it’s a constant battle, and we have to make sure that our history is told properly," Kearney said.

This year marks 55 years of Milwaukee's Juneteenth Day celebration – one of the longest-running traditions in the nation.

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"We’re talking about American history, not just African American history, it’s American history. That’s the importance of it," said Kearney. "Being able to have done it for 55 years says the community is together, and it agrees that this needs to happen."

The preview party featured performances from Divine Essence Dance Team and food vendors people can find at the celebration and taste of Juneteenth at Henry Maier Festival Park.

"I appreciate that they allow me to participate in it and just to serve people in the community. It’s a phenomenal day," said Kellie Davis.

The Juneteenth Festival also offers several community zones with essential resources, including one for veterans. 

READ MORE: Juneteenth celebration at Summerfest; experiences, events June 18-20

This year’s theme is honoring the past and empowering the future – a message Kearney said hopes will inspire youth to lead the festival to new heights.

"We have some dynamite young people that are going to be running Milwaukee over the next decade-and-a-half," said Kearney.

Juneteenth Jubilee

The backstory:

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is celebrated on June 19. It commemorates the end of slavery, as the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were finally given the news: They were free. That was two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

What's next:

The 55th annual Juneteenth Jubilee starts at 9 a.m. Friday, June 19. The route runs along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from Concordia Avenue to Center Street.

FOX6 News will be in the parade, so don't hesitate to say hello. You can also watch live parade coverage that morning.

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