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.

The San Francisco Giants have been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball this season, prompting the front office to explore operating as sellers this summer. Amid a flurry of MLB trade rumors this week about a potential firesale, there is now more buzz regarding the future of Matt Chapman with the team.

MLB insider Robert Murray spoke to executives around the league who said that Chapman is “the most appealing” trade target of the group that also includes Rafael Devers and Willy Adames.

 Matt Chapman Trade Landing Spots

• Matt Chapman contract (Spotrac): $25.166 million AAV (2026-2030)

It’s no surprise that Chapman is the most coveted player among the highly-paid trio. He is a Gold Glove Award winner at third base who can still provide well above-average fielding at the hot corner as a 33-year-old. On top of that, he is also outproduced Adames by a wide margin this season and offers far greater positional value than Devers.

However, there is a complicating factor. Chapman has played 10 seasons in the majors and has a full no-trade clause. He also made it clear to reporters this week that he prefers to remain in San Francisco, especially since he is a California native.

Rafael Devers Trade Landing Spots

• Matt Chapman stats (2026): .252/.337/.400, .737 OPS, 7 home runs, 41 RBI in 309 plate appearances

As a result, per Murray, San Francisco is not expected to move him this offseason. That makes it even more likely that the club’s highest-paid players remain with the team for the remainder of the season, with president of baseball operations Buster Posey expected to pursue alternative options.

More than likely, the Giants will instead be trading the likes of Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle, and Luis Arraez. All three veterans are on expiring contracts, so San Francisco will attempt to get whatever it can for them on the trade market next month.

 Willy Adames Trade Landing Spots

Bay Area bars and restaurants are packed for World Cup watch parties this week, but San Francisco hotels are not seeing the same sell-out crowds experienced during the Super Bowl earlier this year.

While the Super Bowl brought a concentrated week of events that sent hotel prices soaring into the thousands, the World Cup spans more than a month. The extended timeline has resulted in a slower, steadier trickle of out-of-town soccer fans booking rooms.

The Bay Area has several exciting matches on the schedule at Levi’s Stadium, but none feature top-seeded teams or the mega-star power seen when “Messi mania” previously swept the region.

“We knew we weren’t going to get any of the first-place teams. We weren’t going to get Brazil, or Germany, or any of the teams carrying big fan bases — Messi, Ronaldo,” said Alex Bastian, CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco. “But that being said, this is still such a great thing, because people are coming here from around the world.”

Bastian noted that the city’s hospitality industry is still in a strong position for the summer.

“We have a great convention calendar for the month of June, and because we were prepared, we’re doing much better compared to our colleagues across the country,” he said.

A significant surge in hotel bookings could still happen if Levi’s Stadium secures a match featuring Team USA. That possibility grew stronger following the U.S. team’s 2-0 win over Australia on Friday.

“I’m really excited about Team USA. I’m USA all the way,” Bastian added. “I’m hopeful that when that game is played here, the world will come check out San Francisco as well.”