By Chris Treadway, Contra Costa Times – Posted June 19, 2013.

The city will again celebrate one of the most joyous moments in African-American history at the Juneteenth Family Day Parade and Festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

The free annual event commemorates the spontaneous celebration that erupted on June 19, 1865, when slaves in Galveston, Texas, were informed by Union soldiers that the Civil War had ended more than a month earlier and they were free.

Richmond’s observance starts with a parade at 10 a.m. at Cutting Boulevard and Marina Way and ends at the festival site at Nicholl Park, 33rd Street and Macdonald Avenue.

The grand marshal for the parade will be former Mayor Irma Anderson, and other entries will include the Wells Fargo stage coach, African-American horse riders, African-American honor roll students and the Vallejo Corvette Club.

At Nicholl Park, there will be continuous entertainment on two stages, and this year’s headline act will be funk band Lakeside, which had the 1980 hit “Fantastic Voyage.”

Other main stage acts will include gospel group Consonance and the Bay Area Blues Society Caravan of All Stars.

A youth stage will feature performances by young people from the community, and the park will have ethnic food, vendors, a Kids Expo, activities and more.

For details, go to www.richmondcajuneteenth.org.

Reach Chris Treadway at 510-262-2784 or follow him on Twitter.