Run Up to Juneteenth 5K raises funds for SEED School of Maryland program

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — With Juneteenth celebrations approaching in Baltimore, the fifth annual Run Up to Juneteenth brought the community together Sunday at Druid Hill Park.

The event featured a 5K run and a 1-mile walk, drawing participants and volunteers from across the region. Proceeds from the race will benefit The SEED School of Maryland’s College Transition & Success Program.

Held the weekend before the AFRAM Festival, the Run Up to Juneteenth serves as the official kickoff to AFRAM’s 50th anniversary celebration.

This year, the race returned to Druid Hill Park, following AFRAM’s original routes and honoring the community runs that were once a staple of the festival.

Organizers also embraced AFRAM’s history with a 1976-themed race, encouraging participants to wear retro outfits, tube socks, headbands and other throwback attire. A prize was awarded for the best 1976-inspired look.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Baltimore’s annual Juneteenth observance includes a weeklong series of events beginning with the Run Up to Juneteenth and culminating with AFRAM, one of the East Coast’s largest African American festivals.

Additional information is available at seedschoolmd.org and aframbaltimore.com.