Idaho Falls celebrates Juneteenth holiday through Musical Festivities

Idaho Falls celebrated the national holiday Juneteenth with a host of commemorative events designed to recognize one of the most important milestones in American history. June 19th remains a significant date, marking the day in 1865 when slavery was officially abolished in Galveston, Texas. Across the country, enslaved people were granted their freedom and claimed their right to emancipation. That legacy is honored today by many Americans, including Idahoans who seek to share history and narrative through one of the most meaningful channels of communication: music.

On June 14th, Idaho Falls held its second annual Juneteenth CommUNITY Heritage Music Festival, followed by Juneteenth: Night at The Colonial on June 19th. Both events celebrated rich cultural history and the ongoing fight for equality through a wide variety of music genres.

The music festival, a free public event at the Riverwalk Bandstand, featured live music by the Eastern Idaho Jazz Society. Families and individuals browsed community booths in partnership with the Idaho Falls Farmers Market. Opening remarks were delivered by Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper, who read the city’s official Juneteenth Proclamation. The event ran from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM MDT and saw strong turnout from local residents. 

Chloe Doucette, a member of the organizing committee, reflected on the success of the event, “It was wonderful. We had lots of presence from booths representing different organizations within the East Idaho community that help share stories of our culture and showcase diverse perspectives.”

On June 19th, the Colonial House in downtown Idaho Falls hosted a memorable evening of musical performances and historical storytelling in honor of Juneteenth. The event began at 7:00 PM with opening remarks from one of the main performers and coordinators, Mosy Moran, who told the audience, “Tonight is an expression of freedom. It’s an expression of everything that America is meant to be—an expression of where we have been and where we can go.”

The audience was then taken on an aural journey through decades of music, spanning symphonic, ragtime, jazz, blues, Motown soul, and modern hip hop. Musical performances included renditions of “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, “Mustang Sally” by Wilson Pickett, and “I Feel Good” by James Brown, all performed by the Eastern Idaho Jazz Society. The Idaho Falls Symphony offered a violin and piano duet featuring ragtime classics such as “Graceful Ghost Rag,” “Saint James Infirmary,” and “Summertime.” Each piece was introduced with a short explanation of its historical significance and cultural impact.

Midway through the event, a local group of young students known as the Freedom Readers presented a brief history of Juneteenth. They read firsthand accounts from African American citizens who had lived through enslavement, along with passages about the Emancipation Proclamation, the American Civil War, and the landmark day of June 19th, 1865. The students also highlighted the activism of Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” who campaigned tirelessly to make the holiday a national observance.

The evening concluded with a performance by the local band Mosy and The Heartthrobs, who played classics like “I Believe to My Soul” by Ray Charles and a stirring mashup of “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke and “Alright”by Kendrick Lamar. Lead singer Mosy Moran spoke between sets about his passion for music and its unifying power: “Music unites everybody. It’s an expression. People relate to that expression. The more music you have in your life, the more you can understand somebody.” As Juneteenth continues to be celebrated nationwide, events like those in Idaho Falls at the Heritage Music Festival and the Colonial House demonstrate the power of retelling history and sharing rich music.