Juneteenth celebrates the ending of slavery in the United States. The holiday is officially recognized next Wednesday, but many groups and organizations across the STL region will be holding events this weekend, including one in Soulard and several in North County. Alton’s celebration runs Saturday from 11 to 5 at James Killion park, where U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth is scheduled to address the crowd. And in Glen Carbon,  trustees this week agreed to make Juneteenth a holiday for village employees. One of the most popular events is the pre-Juneteenth celebration in University City’s Loop. Event Coordinator Celestte Grayer says the Delmar Loop event draws thousands and will run from 8 Saturday morning until 9PM with lots of activities for both kids and adults. Steve Potter, KTRS News.