SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Under bright blue skies, large crowds gathered Saturday to celebrate Juneteenth in San Francisco, dancing, cheering and waving flags in a day of joy marking the end of slavery in the United States.

The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Texas and announced that enslaved Black people were free — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Some view Juneteenth as America’s second Independence Day.

“I think for the greater community to see that Juneteenth is a national holiday and that we represent it, everyone can understand what it means to African American people, what it means the day we were freed from slavery,” said Tamara Walker, an event coordinator.

Now recognized as a federal holiday for the past five years, Juneteenth also represents a broader pursuit of justice.

“I had the pride and honor of voting for this Juneteenth holiday in Congress,” said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, speaker emerita.

MORE: What is Juneteenth and why is it celebrated? What to know for 2026

Festivities included a parade and performances, with participants celebrating community and culture.

Rev. Ishmael Burch of Glide Memorial Church said he has marked the occasion for decades.

“Juneteenth, I’ve been doing it for 35 years: the parade and the festivals. We need Juneteenth. It’s growing in Oakland, Richmond, San Jose — all around,” Burch said.

Organizers and participants emphasized that the holiday also highlights ongoing efforts for equity and opportunity.

“Juneteenth represents us being here, us growing small businesses, us kids having access to safe places to be in the future, being able to have the same access to good schools,” Walker said.

Eighteen-year-old Mekai Smith, the parade’s grand marshal, called the day meaningful.

“It’s truly a blessing to be here. I feel part of my culture is part of Juneteenth,” Smith said.

For attendees like Emeryville resident Trey Green, the celebration was also a chance to share history across generations.

“I just explained to him yesterday what the meaning of Juneteenth is about: for me and him and how it’s a part of our history and now he gets to experience it first-hand,” Green said of his young son.

As the festivities continued, many reflected on the holiday’s importance as both a historical milestone and a moment of unity.

“We’re all people. Doesn’t matter what color we are. We all experience different things. But at the end of the day, we’re all people,” Green said.

RTD’s Proposed September Service Changes are designed to further enhance and strengthen RTD’s transit network by refining service, improving reliability, and better aligning resources with customer needs.

As part of the September 2026 Service Change, RTD is advancing a coordinated set of transit service enhancements designed to strengthen reliability, restore key frequencies, and improve access to major destinations across the system. These proposed changes reflect observed utilization trends, operational performance, and lessons learned during recent reconstruction activities, while maintaining flexibility for future evaluation and adjustment. Several of the recommended enhancements are supported by Clean Transit Enterprise (CTE) grant funding and are intended to restore and expand service consistent with the System Optimization Plan (SOP), noting that final CTE allocations are still in development. 

You can view all the proposed changes below and learn more by watching our presentation in English or Spanish.

Customer feedback on the Proposed September Service Changes will be collected through July 8. We invite you to virtually attend our public meetings and Ask a Service Planner sessions, or share your feedback through the online survey. Customer feedback is important to RTD, and we thank you for participating however you can!

Public Meetings

Proposed September 2026 Service Changes

Dashboard: Routes and Lines

I feel like the guy in the famous commercial attempting to settle the boisterous debate over whether their beverage is best because it “tastes great” or is “less filling” by shouting over their chants: “IT IS BOTH!”

Are you someone who declares Seattle weather’s great when skies are less filled with clouds? Are you instead someone who insists it’s Seattle’s fresh rainfall that tastes great?

It is rare that we can squeeze a heat wave AND rain streak into the same week forecast around here, but whether you’re a sun fan, or a rain fan, this budding forecast’s FOR YOU!*

(*YES, I know I’m mixing my brand slogans**.)
(**Also Gen Z: Ask your parents or nearest Gen X family member. It’ll slay for sure.***)

(*** That last comment was approved by my Gen Z daughter, though with an epic eyeroll.)

IT’S OK. THIS ANALOGY IS JUST PROBABLY NOT THE CHOICE OF THE NEW GENERATION….

Fair point, back to the weather: It’s another heat wave up first and Seattle will be set to ‘Do the Stew.’

In fact, this entire heat event looks like someone just stole the script from last week, only shoved it back a day. Sunday will jump in warmth and reach around the upper 70s to low 80s in Seattle with brief, if any morning clouds. Can’t ask for better weather for Father’s Day.

Our warm, easterly wind will start to energize on Monday which will end up being a warm-to-hot day across Western Washington. Highs should reach the 80s everywhere (even the coast) with upper 80s likely in the Seattle/Puget Sound area. If you want to “follow the script,” that would match the day Seattle hit 89 last week.

Tuesday is expected to be the hottest day of the week with highs reaching into the low 90s in the Puget Sound area (Seattle: 91 last week on peak day), and mid 90s south and east. The coast will start warm but cool off quick during the day.

A Heat Advisory is in effect for Monday and Tuesday for all of Western Washington except the coast where you won’t be hot enough to have heat concerns.

HI. I WANT MY SEATTLE SKIES WITH *MORE* FILLING….

Can do! We’ll begin the cooling process on Wednesday as the marine winds start to push their way into the I-5 corridor. Right now, it’s not a big push then, but it should be enough to get Seattle back into the 80s (FEELS LIKE WE’RE ALREADY IN THE 80s WITH THESE JOKES). It still looks very toasty for the next World Cup game at Lume…er…”Seattle Stadium.”

A stronger marine push comes for Thursday which should end up pretty similar to this Saturday with the morning clouds then sun with highs back into the 70s — though clouds will increase late in the day because…

Rain returns to the forecast for the first time in a few weeks for the end of the week. Long range models are getting more sold on the idea of an area of low pressure developing off B.C.’s Haida Gwaii on Friday and pushing a front through our area that would bring periods of light rain and much cooler temperatures that would stay in the 60s.

That low is then pegged to drop down the B.C. coast and move right through Western Washington on Saturday, peppering us with scattered showers through the weekend (especially Saturday) as highs stay in the 60s.

There is a weak signal for some potential thunderstorms Saturday so we’ll keep an eye there.

Drier and warmer weather returns for the start of next week with what initially look like fairly comfortable temperatures as we near the start of July. No matter if you like rain or heat, that should give most folk a smile.