When is the Philadelphia Juneteenth Parade and Festival? Plus 13 other events to celebrate the holiday

CBS News

4 hours ago

Community comes together celebrating the 19th annual Juneteenth Festival on Germantown Avenue
Community comes together celebrating the 19th annual Juneteenth Festival on Germantown Avenue
Community comes together celebrating the 19th annual Juneteenth Festival on Germantown Avenue
Plenty of Juneteenth events have already been celebrated in Philadelphia and the region, but there are many more coming up — both on the holiday itself and on the following weekend.
The holiday celebrated on June 19 marks when the news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Galveston Bay in Texas, thought to be home to the last group of enslaved people in the southern U.S.
It was June 19, 1865, when the Union arrived with news of the proclamation and the forces needed to carry it out in the Confederate state, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln had signed the executive order on Jan. 1, 1863, and two months after he was assassinated.
Today, four years after it was declared a national holiday in 2021, Juneteenth brings an opportunity to celebrate the joy of independence while reflecting on our nation's beginnings that included centuries of slavery. If you're not sure how to celebrate, check out this CBS News interview with Opal Lee, often referred to as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth."
Below, see how the city of Philadelphia is observing Juneteenth.
When is the Philadelphia Juneteenth Parade and Festival?
Philadelphia will host its annual Juneteenth Parade and Festival on Sunday.
The parade kicks off at 12:30 p.m. from near The Mann Center at 52nd Street and Concourse Drive before moving south to Malcolm X Park at 52nd and Larchwood Avenue.
The parade ends at 3 p.m. Dr. Ala Stanford, Earl Young, former City Councilmember Jannie Blackwell and Russell Thompkins Jr. are the parade's grand marshals.
Malcolm X Park is home to the Juneteenth Festival and Marketplace from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. There will be food and retail vendors as well as two stages for performances. A Children's Youth Pavilion will feature face painting, games and other family entertainment, and a Rolling Museum car show will be underway at 52nd and Osage.
Get all the details on the City of Philadelphia's website.
West Chester, Pennsylvania, Juneteenth events
West Chester, Pennsylvania's Juneteenth events are taking place on the holiday itself, June 19.
Starting at 1 p.m., the Chester County History Center on North High Street will begin its theatrical reenactment, "From Appomattox to Galveston." That's followed by a 2:30 p.m. town meeting at Bethel AME Church on Miner Street, and a 4:30 p.m. celebration dinner at 600 East Market Street.
Also in West Chester, the Cultural Alliance of Chester County will host a re-enactment of the Juneteenth proclamation at 1 p.m. at the Historic Chester County Courthouse.
Allentown Juneteenth celebration
Juneteenth celebrations in Allentown, Pennsylvania, are spread out over multiple days. There is a flag raising at Allentown City Hall on Juneteenth itself, while Empowerment Day, featuring food trucks, spoken word and drill performances, is happening Saturday, June 21, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, June 22, is Family Fun Day, also at Cedar Beach Park, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. There will be chess and dominoes tournaments, caricatures, food trucks and vendors.
Additionally, city residents can access the pool for free on Juneteenth from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
More at AllentownPa.gov/Juneteenth.
Camden, New Jersey, Juneteenth celebration
Camden will hold a Juneteenth flag raising at 11 a.m. in Roosevelt Plaza Park next to City Hall. The afternoon/evening community celebration has been moved indoors due to potential inclement weather. This will now take place at Malandra Hall Community Center, 1200 South Merrimac Road, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The celebration will include live music, entertainment, food and family-friendly activities.
National Constitution Center admission is free on Juneteenth
The National Constitution Center on Arch Street and Independence Mall will have free admission all day on Juneteenth and there is programming planned all day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Those programs include looks into the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment, learning about famous abolitionists, including "The Four Harriets of History," and a Juneteenth crafts activity.
Get all the details at ConstitutionCenter.org.
Please Touch Museum plans special programming on Juneteenth
Philadelphia's Please Touch Museum will hold special programming for kids on Juneteenth from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Chocolate Ballerina Company is scheduled for multiple dance performances, kids can try airbrush art with artist Amir Campbell, and "Summer in the City" author Kathleen Wainwright will host a storytime.
Get tickets and see more events at Pleasetouchmuseum.org.
Millennial Juneteenth hosts block party in Southwest Philly
Nonprofit Millennial Juneteenth will host a block party on Juneteenth at the 48th and Woodland Playground, right along Grays Ferry Avenue.
The ticketed event opens at 1 p.m., and performances will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Juneteenth Block Party at the African American Museum in Philadelphia
The African American Museum in Philadelphia, at 7th and Arch streets, will host an all-day block party out front from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free.
WDAS' Patty Jackson will host and there will be several Black-owned businesses and food trucks, a beer garden and performances and speakers. This event is part of the Wawa Welcome America slate of programming.
Get all the details on July4thPhilly.com.
3rd annual Juneteenth Wine & Arts Festival in Philadelphia
The Juneteenth Wine & Arts Festival returns on Saturday, June 21, at the Cherry Street Pier in Old City from 1-6 p.m.
"This family-friendly event commemorates Juneteenth while uplifting the spirit of the African Diaspora through music, wine, food, fashion, and wellness," the release said.
General admission for all ages is free, advanced wine tasting for 21+ is $20, and day of tasting for 21+ is $30.
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, Juneteenth celebration
Phoenixville will celebrate Juneteenth on Sunday, June 22, and Thursday, June 26.
Sunday includes a welcome prayer, multiple performances, a historical presentation on women in the Civil War and more. Get the full schedule on the Eventbrite link and sign up for your free ticket.
Then on June 26, the Colonial Theatre will host the return of the History of Black Music event. This will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and admission is pay-as-you-wish.
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, Juneteenth Week
The Lansdowne Economic Development Corporation in Delaware County has a week-long celebration of Juneteenth with a grand finale on Saturday, June 21.
Thursday events include: Sip Sisters Cocktail Experience at Utility Work, 1-3 p.m.; Black Magic Woman Productions "Juneteenth: A Day of Jubilee" at the 20*20 House, 6-8 p.m.; and Blues with Joe Becton at Jamey's House of Music, 8 p.m.
Friday's event is the Head-Wrapping Workshop at Utility Works from 6-7:30 p.m.
The finale is the Juneteenth Market & Block Party, a family-friendly event with 46 businesses, food vendors, children's activities and plenty more from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Juneteenth at the Museum of the American Revolution
The Museum of the American Revolution in Old City will explore and celebrate the stories of Black revolutionaries with gallery tours and guides, pop-up talks, and delving into lesser-known stories, the museum said.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 101 South Third Street, visitors can enjoy the Juneteenth activities that are included with the regular admission.
Tickets range from $23 for youth to $34 for adults.
Juneteenth Festival at Philadelphia Protestant Home
The Philadelphia Protestant Home will have its annual Juneteenth Festival on Thursday at 6401 Martins Mill Road.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the festival will be "celebrating freedom, resilience, and African American heritage with a day full of music, food, and community fun."
The year's festival will have a special performance, a special Juneteenth-theme menu and games, activities and more.
Juneteenth Bazaar Commemorating "Emancipation Day" in Atlantic City
The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey will celebrate Juneteenth Thursday from noon to 5 p.m. at The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University in Atlantic City.
Displays from artists around the area will be featured, and there will be a featured speaker from the Communication Studies and Africana Studies at Stockton University.
Artwork, Afro-centric goods by vendors as well as soul food will be available.
The museum said admission is free but donations are encouraged.