‘Bittersweet’: What it’s like to celebrate Juneteenth in Utah in 2026

By: Alixel Cabrera

Outlets: Utah News Dispatch

Published: June 19, 2026

Words: 1,058

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 1 day ago

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For 37 years Betty Sawyer has organized a Juneteenth celebration in Utah. The commemoration has evolved into a festival that, this year, is aiming to resemble a family reunion big enough to fill an amphitheater’s grounds.

The celebration has been a longstanding tradition, but, for Sawyer, who oversaw its buildout from the ground up, there’s still a long way to go. Ten years after the Utah Legislature passed an initial nod to Juneteeth, Utah …

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