The towns of Hartford and Lebanon are joining together for a multi-day Juneteenth celebration.

The first event will take place from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at Lyman Point Park at 167 Maple St., in White River Junction. The second event, a movie and cake night, will take place on Monday, Juneteenth itself, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the auditorium at Seminary Hill School, at 20 Seminary Hill Road, in West Lebanon.

Both events, which have the theme “Journey to Freedom,” are free and family-friendly. More information can be found online at: fb.me/e/XTRuOW7W.

Previously, the two towns have held separate celebrations. This year will be Hartford’s fourth and Lebanon’s second.

After both events concluded last year, Hartford organizer Joe Major and Lebanon organizer Alisha Robinson started to talk about collaborating. This year, the Hartford Committee on Racial Equity and Diversity and the City of Lebanon Diversity Equity and Inclusion Commission are co-hosting both events.

The groups also are joining together to decorate the Lyman Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River to physically connect the two communities.

“Our crowds were pretty similar and we offered similar content,” Robinson said. “We had just decided, ‘How cool would it be to show even more community-building and more inclusion by bringing our two towns together especially since we’re so close and creating an Upper Valley Juneteenth?’ ”

Next year they hope to include even more communities. There is even talk of bringing the celebrations to other Upper Valley towns.

“We really, truly mean what we say about it being an Upper Valley event and recognizing that the Upper Valley is way more than just Hartford and Lebanon and Hanover,” Robinson said.

At Saturday’s event, there will be music, games, vendors and speakers — including children from area schools. One of the organizers’ main goals is to teach people about what Juneteenth is and why it is important.

“That curiosity is good, and I think that many people feel that on July 4, 1776, the United States gained its independence and that is partially true but it’s not wholly true, so people that look like me unfortunately were still enslaved and had not gained their independence or freedom,” Major said. “Even after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed (Jan. 1, 1863), many enslaved people still did not gain their freedom because of communication, the mode of communication at that time.”

It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, freeing some 250,000 enslaved people in Texas, that “the final vestige of slavery was eradicated by the northern troops,” Major said.

Major and Robinson, recognizing that people have different learning styles, sought to include educational material in different formats. While there will be talks, there also will be books and games with historical references, including the jump-rope game Double Dutch. Monday’s movie night will feature two short documentaries, including one about Portsmouth’s Black Heritage Trail, followed by a screening of Pixar’s “Soul.”

“It is a difficult time in our country for education. Education is being distorted, it’s being whitewashed, and I think it’s important that we learn everything,” Major said.

He referenced book bans and emphasized that those who do not understand the past are more likely to repeat it.

“Just because you don’t agree with something isn’t a reason not for you to partake in it and understand it,” he said. “You may learn something.”

Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.