OGDEN -- Angela Guzman sat on the front row of the Ogden Amphitheater Saturday afternoon letting the loud mix of hip hop, blues, Motown and reggae wash over her.
The Clearfield woman, accompanied by her boyfriend, was attending the two-day 22nd Annual Juneteenth Freedom & Heritage Festival being held at the Amphitheater, 343 Historic 25th Street.
"The atmosphere is good," Guzman said, of the mix of multicultural music and food being prepared and served by vendors.
"The free smells are worth it," she said.
Juneteenth Program Coordinator Hanen Abraham said the two-day statewide event, expected to draw 3,000 people to downtown Ogden, is to bring the community together to celebrate the African-American Emancipation Day which occurred on June 19.
That was the day in 1865 slaves in Texas were informed they were free after the Civil War.
Abraham said locally they have made it a practice to celebrate the day each year over the Father's Day weekend. She said the celebration appears to be gaining in popularity as more people plan family reunions and picnics around the event.
"We really keep getting bigger," Abraham said of the celebration that offers activities for children, community outreach information for the public and a mix of vendors and good food.
"I think it is a great thing and they need to make it bigger," said Ron Owens of Ogden, who could also be found in the amphitheater listening to the music being played by the DJ.
"I like the music and the food and meeting new people," the 41-year-old Owens said. But what he enjoys most about the celebration, he said, is there seems to be new people attending each year.
Some of the food served at the celebration included Southern barbecue, gumbo and pulled pork sandwiches.
One food vendor at the celebration was The Hot Spot of Salt Lake City.
"I come out to socialize. You meet people from all over," said Diane Smith, a co-owner in The Hot Spot.
Smith said the event brings together people from all faiths and cultures. "We want people to know it is a multicultural thing," she said.
Another vendor present was the State Democratic Party, on hand to register voters and hand out literature for President Barack Obama's 2012 run for the White House.
"We've started the grass roots campaign once again," said Liz Malmquist, who was overseeing the Obama/Biden booth.
Malmquist said her group was receiving a warm reception from the crowd.
Others in attendance were some area high school students promoting Weber State University's Upward Bound Program, designed to help students in need of financial assistance to attend college.
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