A racially diverse gathering of more than 400 people surrounded the Pine Pavilion at Carson Park Tuesday evening to make Eau Claire’s 19th annual Juneteenth celebration the largest it's ever been, The observance, which became an official state holiday in 2009, dates back to June 19, 1865 in Galveston, TX when Union soldiers landed there and brought the news that the Civil War was over and that former slaves were free. The local observance is designed to promote area residents’ mutual commitment to a united but diverse community enriched by the differences among its members.