On June 16, 2020, Virginia governor Ralph Northam made an announcement. The state would move to recognize June 19, or Juneteenth, as a paid state holiday. The next day, New York governor Andrew Cuomo tweeted that he' d do the same in his state. This makes Virginia and New York the latest states to officially honor Juneteenth. Now, at least 45 out of 50 states, plus Washington, D. C., recognize Juneteenth. “We became independent in 1776. Every year as a nation, we mark the Fourth of July Independence Day," Northam said during a press conference. “But that freedom we celebrate did not include everyone.

Learning more about the holiday means going back in history to the Civil War. On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation ( 解放黑人奴隶宣言). His speech declared freedom for enslaved people. The Civil War ended more than two years later，in April 1865. The Union won. But there were many enslaved people who had not been told of this. On June 19, Union soldiers told crowds in Galveston, Texas, that the state' s 250 ,000 enslaved people were free. They were among the last to find out. The day became known as Juneteenth, which refers to June and 19th and is sometimes called Emancipation Day. Over the years, as black people from Galveston moved to different cities, the celebration spread slowly. And in the 1960s, the civil rights movement brought a really wider awareness of Juneteenth because it broke out all over the country.

It's believed that such a holiday helps educate people about what happened in the past. Sheila Jackson Lee represents Texas in the US House of Representatives. Earlier this week, she introduced a bill to Congress, which asks for national recognition of the holiday. Juneteenth has been celebrated in a variety of ways people can choose from. Usually, there are community gatherings, cookouts, and festivals.

Here are the most popular festivals & fairs events in New York this year.

Fanfaire NYC--High School of Art and Design

From: Today, Feb 8, 10:00 am To: Tomorrow, Feb 9, 6:00 pm $5.00 - $20.00   

The Fanfaire NYC is a fun way to spend the day indulging in ones love of comic book art and meeting many of the people who help make them a reality. Super affordable to attend, and a nice way to spend the day with your fellow geeks. Don't miss out.

New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center

From: Friday, Mar 6, 10:00 am To: Sunday, Mar 8, 6:00 pm $8.00 - $10.00

Celebrate all that is handcrafted and see what's NEW at Sugarloaf Crafts Festival!

Find special things never available online! Shop the latest in fashion, jewelry, art, accessories, furniture, decor, special foods and much more! Discover unique and memorable gifts you can't find anywhere else to make your spring gift giving celebrations extra-special. Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, graduations, weddings and more - you'll find perfectly handcrafted joy at Sugarloaf!

American Fine Craft Show at Brooklyn Museum

Thursday, Nov 19, 6:00 pm $8.00 - $16.00   

American Fine Craft Show Brooklyn at Brooklyn Museum will crown the holiday season with 90 exhibits of art and handmade fine crafts for sale from artists and artisans from Brooklyn and around the country in the museum's landmark Beaux-Arts Court. In addition to fine art, exhibitors will sell ceramics, art glass, decorative fiber, fashion and fashion accessories, furniture, jewelry and mixed media.

On Air Fest 2020

From: Friday, Dec 6, 9:00 am To: Sunday, Mar 8, 4:00 pm $149.00 - $375.00

On Air Fest is a rally point for leading voices, new movements and curious listeners inspired by the art of sound. Coming into it’s fourth year in 2020, the flagship Brooklyn event at Wythe Hotel will feature over 100 artists who bring forward innovative ideas and present new work.

After a tough year, friends have proven they have always been there for us. Choose Friendship Day 2021 to appreciate the connections you have in life or use this holiday to reach out to past friends and rekindle that bond.

National Friendship Day occurs every year on the first Sunday of August — August 7, 2022 — and celebrates the importance of loving, platonic relationships. For more than a century, we’ve celebrated the strength of friendship, and thanks to social media, we’re able to continue celebrating with our friends no matter where they are in the world.

Humans are the most social beings on earth: we need to relate to others, just as Abraham Maslow exposed in his Hierarchy of human needs. Our sociological needs motivate our behavior, encouraging us to make interpersonal relationships and connect with others on a deeper level. With such a huge need for human connection with people other than our significant other, it’s no wonder that we celebrate an entire holiday based on the importance of friendship.

National Friendship Day was originally a marketing strategy for Hallmark Cards in the 1930s. Founder Joyce Hall designated the day would take place on August 2 and decided it would be a day to celebrate the people closest to you — and send them a card or two in the process. It soon became a bigger deal than originally planned when the 1935 U.S. Congress pronounced the first Sunday of August as National Friendship Day.

The holiday continued gaining popularity, and in 1998 the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh as the world’s Ambassador of Friendship. In 2011, during their 65th session, the U.N. designated July 30 International Friendship Day.

Nowadays, we celebrate National Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August. Thanks to advancements in technology, it is easier to get in touch with friends, to share, and to be thankful for them.

This August 2, celebrate the lover you create and share with the family that you chose — the friends who get you through hard times and cheer you on during your most successful moments.