The 16th Annual Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas returns to Charlotte on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th in Independence Park.

The Juneteenth Festival is a celebration of not only freedom for enslaved blacks in America, but freedom of all people that have been enslaved throughout time.

The festival will offer a rich array of cultural traditions and diversity through food, arts and music, and offers a broad variety of tantalizing, ethnic foods, plus an even greater selection of vendors displaying unique arts, crafts and clothing from around the world.

Participants can enjoy fabulous R&B, Blues, Jazz, Reggae, Hip-Hop and many more soul-stirring sounds as music and dance groups perform throughout the weekend's festivities.

Admission is free and the festival begins at 10 a.m. and goes until 10 p.m. The Cultural Camp on Thursday begins at 9 a.m.

The Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas is hosting its Grey Matters 5k Trail Run/Walk this weekend.

Participants can enjoy a great morning of fitness and fun while burning calories through the beautiful wooded trails of Reedy Creek Park.

Medals go to the top 3 overall Male and Female runners in each age group.

Families and jogging strollers are welcome on the 4-foot wide pea gravel trail.

The Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing public awareness of the impact of brain tumors and providing support for the development of treatment strategies and cooperative biomedical research related to brain tumors in the Charlotte region.

Pre-registered runners should meet at Reedy Creek Park, located at 2900 Rocky River Road in Charlotte, Saturday May 25, prior to the 8 a.m. start-time.

Check-in and 'day of' registration begins at 7 a.m.

The Active Charity Foundation is holding a fundraising 5k Run and Walk this weekend.

Proceeds from the Blue & Green 5k Kidney Run/Walk go toward the expenses a local family faces after learning that their two boys have a rare kidney disease.

Brothers Evan (15) and Eli (11) need kidney transplants and their father's medical insurance does not cover everything.

$200,000 is needed to help this family, and the Foundation is hoping to raise $50,000.

Participants are encouraged to wear blue or green in support of Evan and Eli, respectively.

Registered runners and walkers can join the race at the Colonel Francis Beatty Park, located at 4330 Weddington Road in Matthews, Saturday May 11, at 8 a.m. Registration begins at 7 a.m.

Online registration is free.