The Fourth of July weekend in Oak Bluffs was a big mess last year, everyone said.

There was too much traffic. An ambulance couldn’t get through a street crowded with people. There were clashes between cultures and, when people talked about the weekend later, blatant racism.

Bob Holland of Oak Bluffs stayed home, but he heard all about it. And he sees no reason why all these people shouldn’t enjoy Oak Bluffs on its biggest holiday weekend.

So this year, he will be there to help with other members of the new Martha’s Vineyard Million Man Association.

David Corbitt of Indianapolis discovered Oak Bluffs this weekend. A second-year law student, Mr. Corbitt traveled here at the urging of a college friend.

Serena Henry came from Atlanta, and Phyllis Buford came from St. Louis, with her family. She joined friends from Kansas City, Mo.

Bobby Hall traveled here from Florida, and he had a great time.

“It doesn’t get much better than this,” said Mr. Hall, who joined about 800 people Friday night for live music, dancing and sunset at Inkwell Beach.

Several hundred people attended special events this weekend in Oak Bluffs, reducing gridlock downtown and adding to the festive atmosphere.

And it all happened because of a chance meeting on Memorial Day at the Dragonfly art gallery in Oak Bluffs.

Oak Bluffs is the place to be for the Fourth of July weekend.

That’s always been the case, according to many residents, and now they have one more reason to think so.

This weekend, the community will conduct its First Annual Juneteenth Day of Independence, a Multicultural Celebration. Events include a beach concert Friday and a dance Saturday. Both nights will feature live music, plenty of food and several vats of non-alcoholic ginger beer.

And townspeople are predicting great success.

Island businesses and nonprofit organizations are joining forces this year to celebrate the newest federal holiday, Juneteenth, with a weekend filled with art, music and lectures by leading scholars of black history.

Hundreds gathered at Veterans Memorial Park in Vineyard Haven Friday to join a march for racial justice and equality, organized in honor of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth is the celebration of African Ameri can freedom and achievement and the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Tex., with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation — which had become official on Jan. 1, 1863.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, and this year a host of Oak Bluffs merchants will help celebrate the event by donating some of their proceeds from Saturday, June 19, to help the Martha’s Vineyard Bradley Square project.

Deon’s restaurant will host a reception on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. as part of the celebration. Tickets are $10, available at the door.