Pine Avenue in Downtown Long Beach was buzzing Saturday morning with live music, performers, food trucks and other events in celebration of Juneteenth.

Organizers of the Long Beach Juneteenth Celebration event closed down a portion of Pine Avenue between Fifth and Fourth streets to pedestrians only.

A line of people wrapped around the Walker Building Lofts on Fourth Street as they waited to be checked by security before walking into the event, which hosted games, booths and places to buy food. Black, red, yellow and green balloons decorated the sidewalks as music rang throughout the street.

Being one of the first major in-person public events in the city since the closures of the pandemic lifted this week, some people were seen wearing masks while some chose not to. Friends and families sat close to each other and people could be seen smiling and waiving at each other.

At Fifth Street and Pine Avenue, a large stage was formed, where performers played live music and danced as more people filled the seats and stood along the sidewalks to watch.

Denise Benett, a resident of Huntington Beach, had never visited a Juneteenth celebration in Long Beach. She said she was excited to be there in the midsts of the celebration.

“I’m so excited,” she said. “I feel like we got two Fourth of Julys, and that’s my jam.”

Live performances included West African drums and dances, poetry reading and choir singers.

The Juneteenth holiday is observed as the belated announcement of the end of slavery in Texas in 1865. On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed an executive order that officially made the day a national holiday. Long Beach will be closing some offices on Monday in observation of Juneteenth.

How to celebrate Juneteenth in Long Beach this weekend