Today Boston marks Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. after the Civil War. On June 19, 1865, the Union Army reached Galveston Bay, Texas and it was announced that all enslaved people in the state were now free. 

Massachusetts enacted a law to make Juneteenth a state holiday in 2020, and officially observed the holiday for the first time in 2021. 

Here’s a look at Juneteenth celebrations and events that are planned around the Boston area on Thursday.

Juneteenth events around Boston

Cambridge is having a Juneteenth Freedom Day parade and celebration. The parade starts at 10 a.m. at the corner of Mass. Ave and Pleasant Street in Central Square. It goes down Pleasant Street, to Western Avenue, to Blackstone Street and ends at Riverside Press Park. There will be a celebration at the park with music, food and performances.

Brookline is hosting a free block party from noon to 4 p.m. at the Florida Ruffin Ridley School. There will be free food, music games, dancing and waterslides. 

The historic Shirley-Eustis House is hosting a “Freedom Cookout” from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Roxbury. There will be free tours of the mansion, free food, games and live entertainment. 

Take the ferry to Georges Island in Boston Harbor for live music and “powerful explorations of Black History in Boston.” The free event is from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Boston’s Juneteenth celebration will be held on Saturday, June 21 at Franklin Park. Picnics, barbecues, music and dancing are planned at Shattuck Picnic Grove and all around the park. 

Free museum admission on Juneteenth in Boston

The Museum of African American History in Boston is free to all visitors for a Juneteenth Open House. Family-friendly activities include Underground Railroad walking tours, story time, dancing, face painting and story time. 

The Museum of Fine Arts is offering free admission for all Massachusetts residents on June 19. One of the featured exhibits is Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson, spotlighting the work of the Roxbury artist whose work racial prejudice and social injustice.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is also having a free day on Thursday. It will include “performances, conversations, and activities that celebrate community and freedom with Boston-based Black artists and leaders.”

The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston is offering free admission, but you must get advanced tickets online. 

What’s open and what’s closed on Juneteenth in Massachusetts?

Juneteenth is a federal holiday, so that means the post office and the stock market are closed Thursday.

Public schools and libraries are closed in Massachusetts on Juneteenth. All courts and Registry of Motor Vehicle offices are closed Thursday and will reopen Friday.

Banks like Bank of America, TD Bank and Wells Fargo are closing for the holiday. 

Most retailers and supermarkets should be open on Thursday. 

Tales of footballing brothers sticking together are nothing new.

Gary and Phil Neville featured for Manchester United and England; the Ivory Coast’s Yaya and Kolo Toure had three years together at Manchester City; and then there were Ronald and Frank De Boer, who teamed up at Ajax, Barcelona, Rangers and the Netherlands during their illustrious careers.

The Bellingham bros, Jude and Jobe, are among the highest-profile siblings in the game at the moment, starring for Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, respectively, after both emerged at Birmingham City.

Where it differs for the Graham brothers is that they are lifelong Boston fans who are living out their dreams with the club off the pitch.

Heading the scouting department of the fifth-tier club is something they have done together for the past two years.

They returned to the Pilgrims together, having previously started out with them as volunteer regional scouts before going on to develop their careers away from Jakemans Community Stadium.

Sam, who still recalls the first time he watched Boston United with his father and brother when aged five, says the job he shares with Shaun remains a “passion” above all else.

“I grew up a little addicted to football from a young age, especially non-league football,” he said.

“And we have been lucky to have this amazing opportunity to now be involved and use that passion to try and drive the football club forward.”

Football and being on the lookout for talent is an all-consuming pursuit for the 38-year-old pair.

When they are not working side by side, they laugh that they are probably on the phone to one another.

“We are quite lucky that we have different skill sets,” Sam said.

“I will do a lot of the admin stuff, a lot of the communication and speaking to the manager and a lot of the players.

“And Shaun does a lot of the reporting and getting out and watching players, so that dynamic gives us two really good skill sets and allows us to do the job.”

As much as they play to one another’s strengths as a scouting team, how the twin brothers view a player is not always identical.

But even then, they have worked out ways of settling an argument in a way that Boston United benefits.

“It can be difficult at times, and there are disagreements now and again,” said Shaun, who is the older brother by 48 minutes.

“But we tend to come to the same outcome because we have the same outlook on the game, and our opinions are very similar on players.

“Sometimes not agreeing is quite healthy. It keeps the relationship between us strong, I’d say.”

Most of the day stays dry, but the moisture-rich air will turn out a shower or two , so pack the umbrella just in case.

Partly to mostly cloudy skies will remain Wednesday night with a low shower chance as lows slip to the mid and upper 60s.

Wednesday’s weather will be influenced by a warm front gradually progressing through New England from the southwest, bringing along warmer air, more humidity, and the chance for a shower or two in Greater Boston and most of Southern New England.

A steep southerly flow with the front will lead to plenty of clouds throughout the day, but there should be a few cracks to let the sunshine in at times. The air will have plenty of moisture so the chance of a spot shower or two will linger throughout Wednesday, morning and evening. Should more sunshine crack through the clouds then there’s the chance for an isolated downpour with the additional heating. Any precipitation should be brief.

For the commute in, it’ll be in the the mid- and upper 60s with highs building to the mid- and upper 70s. There will likely be a few spots that reach 80 around or west of I-95, wherever the sun breaks through the clouds.

You’ll notice the heavier air when you head out in the morning, with dew points around sunrise already in the low 60s. By the time you wrap up work for the day, the air will feel thick and heavy with dew points in the upper 60s.

But come Thursday, it’ll feel like Southern Florida, with dew points reaching the low 70s.

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Dew points in the 70s are a precursor to a chance for a brewing storm, and New England, including Boston, will see a thunderstorm chance come Thursday afternoon and evening.

Under a blend of sun and clouds, highs will be near 90 degrees in Boston with higher readings west of the city. Mixing in very humid and moist air, the atmosphere will be primed for a classic line of thunderstorms to develop ahead of a cold front pushing into the region from the west. Some will turn severe with damaging wind gusts and heavy downpours. Boston should see any action after the commute home but that may change as we get a bit closer to Thursday afternoon.

So far so good. The trend is that high pressure will linger near New England on Saturday with it holding on long enough through Sunday. There may be a few showers well west of Boston but there’s growing optimism for a completely dry weekend.

That would snap 14 straight weekends where a trace or more rain has fallen in Boston.

Greater Boston: Mostly cloudy with highs in the upper 70s. A spot shower is possible. Dew points to the upper 60s. Lows to the upper 60s with a lingering spotty drizzle or fog overnight.

Southeastern Mass.: Mostly cloudy with patchy fog in the morning. Clouds stick around in the afternoon with a low chance of a sprinkle. Highs to the low 70s. Dew points to the low to mid-60s. Staying mostly cloudy at night with lows to the mid-60s.

Central/Western Mass.: Chance for a quick shower under mostly cloudy skies. Highs in the upper 70s in the Berkshires and possibly breaking 80 from Worcester to Springfield. Dew points push near 70, making it feel heavy outside. Staying warm at night with lows in the mid to upper 60s with a lingering shower chance.

Cape and Islands: Mostly cloudy skies with a low chance for a sprinkle. Some early morning and late evening fog is possible. Highs to the upper 60s and low 70s. Staying partly to mostly cloudy at night with lows in the mid-60s.

Rhode Island: Mostly cloudy skies with highs in the mid-70s. Chance for a sprinkle or shower is possible. Feeling muggy. Lows in the mid-60s with mostly cloudy skies and a low shower chance.

New Hampshire: More clouds than sun as highs push to the upper 70s and low 80s. An isolated shower is possible. Mostly cloudy at night with lows in the 60s paired with an isolated shower chance.

Vermont/Maine: Mix of sun and clouds with more clouds in the afternoon. Scattered showers are possible during the day with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s. Humidity building with dew points reaching the mid and upper 60s by the afternoon.

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Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.