June 19, 2024, marked the 159th year since Union troops informed enslaved Americans of their emancipation in Galveston, Texas. For many New Yorkers, the day meant a free outdoor concert all the way in Times Square. Some wanted to do something a little easier — a 5k in 88-degree weather. And even others commemorated the holiday at Christ Church in East Midtown for a concert with the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus.

Here’s how it sounded.