2 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Celebrate Juneteenth 2025: Festivals and arts events in the Bay Area
In 1863, President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was enacted, marking the official end of slavery in the United States. However, the news was slow to be communicated to the rest of the country. Reportedly, it was finally read to the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas — two years later — on June 19, 1865. The date was elevated to become the federal holiday dubbed Juneteenth in 2021, when former President Joe Biden signed it into law.
Check out the Chronicle's guide to the hippest Juneteenth events happening around the Bay Area in 2025.
San Francisco
'Black Gold: Stories Untold'
In partnership with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, For-Site arts foundation offers a large-scale, site-specific group exhibition. It includes works from 17 contemporary artists that reflect upon the resilience and triumph of African Americans living in California, from the Gold Rush to the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. During this time, California, despite being a free state, was complicit in the enslavement of people of color. Docent-led tours available at noon.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Through Nov. 2. Fort Point National Historic Site, 201 Marine Drive, S.F. 415-561-4959.
Late Night Editions: Isaac Julien
The de Young museum joins the Cal Academy and Exploratorium's Thursday museum after-hour party scene with its new 'Late Night Editions' evening series. Check out the museum's current 'Isaac Julien: I Dream a World' exhibition while enjoying cocktails, Off the Grid food trucks, a photo booth, live DJ sets and access to the permanent collection galleries.
'Co-Founders'
A world premiere hip-hop musical, created by Bay Area-based Ryan Nicole Austin, Beau Lewis and Adesha Adefela, tells the story of an underrated young Oakland coder and employs novel onstage visual technology.
See website for performance schedule. Through Sunday, July 6. $45-$108. American Conservatory Theater's Strand Theater, 1127 Market St., S.F. 415-749-2228.
San Francisco Jazz Festival
This year's revamped festival is set to include performances on multiple stages each day inside the jazz center and outside in a festival tent. There will also be live DJ sets, food trucks, beer and wine, art and vinyl merchants. Performers scheduled include Stanley Clarke and Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Sullivan Fortner and Ambrose Akinmusire, Nicholas Payton, Idris Ackamoor, Patrice Rushen, and others.
2-9 p.m. Friday, June 13; 1-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, June 14-15. $85 and up. SFJazz Center's Miner Auditorium and Joe Henderson Lab, 201 Franklin St.; festival tent and outdoor street market, 110 Franklin St., S.F.
Celebrate family and freedom in the historic Fillmore Jazz District at an afternoon event featuring live music and entertainment on three stages, carnival games and rides, a marketplace, roller-skating rink, fashion show, food vendors and more.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, June 14. Free, reservations recommended. Historic Fillmore District, Fillmore Street between Geary and Fulton streets, S.F.
International Queer Women of Color Film Fest: 'Fierce Determination'
The series will showcase 49 films that illuminate how communities that are LBTQIA+ and Black, Indigenous, and people of color persist, thrive, and imagine liberatory futures through radical artistry and collective care.
7 p.m. Friday, June 13. Noon, 3, 5 and 7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, June 14-15. Free. Presidio Theatre, 99 Moraga Ave., S.F. 415-960-3949.
Juneteenth Bayview Father's Day Festival
Celebrate Father's Day and Juneteenth with live music and entertainment, food vendors and marketplace, carnival rides, a car show and family-friendly activities.
Noon-6 p.m. Sunday, June 15. Free. Gilman Park, 903 Gilman Ave., S.F. 415-851-1752.
'We've Come This Far by Music: A Juneteenth Musical Spectacle'
AfroSolo Theatre Company and the San Francisco Commonwealth Club present a Juneteenth musical performance as part of its 'AfroSolo Arts Festival 31' programming. It will feature pianist and director Carl Blake, baritone Bradley Kynard, soprano Shawnette Sulker and flutist William Underwood.
5:30 p.m. Monday, June 16. $5-$22. Commonwealth Club, 110 The Embarcadero, S.F. 415-771-2376.
'Belonging Without Othering: How We Save Ourselves and the World'
Join authors john a. powell and Stephen Menendian in conversation. Co-sponsored by Mechanics' Institute, Museum of the African Diaspora and UC Berkeley's Othering & Belonging Institute.
6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 18. $15. Mechanics' Institute, 57 Post St., S.F. 415-393-0116.
Sundra Manning Organ Quartet
The Oakland native is set to perform a jazz concert as part of the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival series.
12:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19. Free. Great Lawn, Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission Street between Third and Fourth streets, S.F. 415-543-1718.
San Francisco Black Film Festival
Celebrate African American cinema with films representing the diverse nature of the African cultural diaspora. Jump-start the weekend with an opening-night party featuring a meet-and-greet with actor Danny Glover and filmmaker Kevin Epps, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Various times and locations. Thursday-Sunday, June 19-22. Free-$80. At Delancey Street Screening Room, 600 The Embarcadero, African American Art & Culture Complex, 762 Fulton St. and the S.F. Public Library, 100 Larkin St., S.F.
'The Bronx Revolution and the Birth of Hip Hop'
Zaccho Dance Theatre and YBCA present a multimedia performance that brings the origins of hip-hop to life through dance, storytelling, visual arts and live DJs. Friday's show includes a moderated post-show conversation with the performers, followed by a community cypher and after-party with guest DJ QBert.
7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, June 20-21. $30-$56. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum, 701 Mission St., S.F. 415-978-2787.
Laugh Therapy: Juneteenth Comedy Show and Fundraiser
Support the Ruth Williams Opera house by attending an evening featuring stand-up comedy, live DJ sets, with a full bar and food trucks.
8 p.m. Saturday, June 21. $20-$108.55. Ruth Williams Memorial Theater, Bayview Opera House, 4705 Third St., S.F. 415-824-0386.
'Sistah Friend'
A staged reading of Phaedra Tillery-Boughton's debut play, a dramatic comedy offering a heartfelt and honest exploration of Black womanhood through the lens of three best friends in their 40s.
7 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Zaccho Studio, 1777 Yosemite Ave., S.F. 415-822-6744.
San Francisco Juneteenth Parade
Enjoy a parade and celebration in the heart of the city meant to inspire and highlight unified Black joy and vibrancy.
11 a.m. Sunday, June 22. Free. Begins at Market and Spear streets, proceeds on Market Street to Eighth Street, S.F. 415-344-0489.
Kenneth Whalum
Saxophonist-vocalist Kenneth Whalum returns to the Black Cat stage for a one-night-only trio performance with drummer Thomas Pridgen and guitarist Brad Williams.
7 and 9:15 p.m. Sunday, June 22. $50-$65.50. Black Cat, 400 Eddy St., S.F. 415-358-1999.
East Bay
'Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California'
More than 100 African American quilts and artworks, many of them by women with ties to the Bay Area, illuminate the relationship between quilt-making traditions and the history of Black migration to California from the Southern United States from the 1940s through the 1970s. Also featured in the exhibition are recent artworks by Bay Area Black textile artists.
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Through Nov. 30. Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, 2155 Center St., Berkeley. 510-642-0808.
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus
Terrance Kelly will conduct the vocal ensembles in a combined Juneteenth and Pride program titled 'Juneteenth: Pride, Protest and Praise,' featuring Black gospel music and freedom songs from the Civil Rights movement era to today. The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir will also perform as part of the Livermore Valley Arts Juneteenth celebration on June 21.
8 p.m. Saturday, June 14. $22-$35. Freight and Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. 510-644-2020.
Berkeley Juneteenth Festival: 'What We Gonna Do?'
Held along five blocks in the South Berkeley Alcatraz-Adeline corridor, the annual celebration is set to feature family-friendly entertainment, including live music, African drumming, spoken word, fashion and community performers on multiple stages. There will be a local exhibitors marketplace, a children's area, food vendors and more.
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, June 15. Free. Adeline Sreet and Alcatraz Avenue, Berkeley. 510-524-8804.
East Bay Regional Parks Juneteenth Hikes and Celebration
The Park District will celebrate with free naturalist-led programs, including hikes at Coyote Hills Regional Park and nature walks at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park. Tilden Park will host a family-friendly Juneteenth open house in its Brazilian Room.
4-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, at Tilden Park, Wildcat Canyon Road at Shasta Road, Berkeley. Free. 10 a.m. Thursday, June 19, at Coyote Hills Regional Park, 8000 Patterson Ranch Road, Fremont. Free. 10 a.m. Thursday, June 19, at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park, south of Bailey Road, Concord. 888-327-2757.
W. Kamau Bell: 'Who's With Me?'
The award-winning comedian, filmmaker and author returns to the Berkeley Repertory Theatre stage for a series of encore performances, with proceeds set to benefit Bay Area arts organizations affected by recent National Endowment for the Arts grant terminations, including American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Magic Theatre, Marin Shakespeare Company, New Conservatory Theatre Center, Children's Fairyland, Theatre Bay Area, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and Zaccho Dance Theatre.
7 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, June 17-18, and Sunday, June 22; 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, June19-21; 4 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Roda Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. 415-826-4441.
Fairyland Juneteenth Celebration
Pack a picnic for a day of cultural activities, arts and crafts, live performances, Juneteenth storytime, and an appearance from Bay Area radio star Chuy Gomez.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, June 19. $17-$20.14. Children's Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland.
Oakland Museum of California's Hella Juneteenth Festival
The afternoon event will feature a culinary collaboration by Bay Area Black chefs and Black-owned restaurants, live music on two stages, Black-owned vending marketplace, lawn games, line dancing and more. Attend an official, Hella Juneteenth-sponsored Golden State Valkyries watch party that begins at 5:30 p.m.
On Friday, June 20, the museum's free Friday Night programming continues the celebration with live music from Astu, art activities from BIPOC figure drawing collective, Sketchboard Co. and more.
Noon-5 p.m. Thursday, June 19. $20-$95. Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland. 510-318-8400.
Newark Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
Celebrate the holiday with live entertainment, a cultural exhibition, food trucks, giveaways, family-friendly activities and more.
1-5 p.m. Thursday, June 19. Free. Silliman Center, 6800 Mowry Ave., Newark. 510-578-4000.
Grown Women Dance Collective: Juneteenth
'Surviving Long Covid. I'm Still Here' is a site-specific, immersive program celebrating the Black legacy of resistance, resilience, empowerment and joy.
11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, June 21-22; 7 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Free. GWDC Studio, 494 Ninth St., Oakland. 925-680-4400.
Oakland Juneteenth Festival: 'Sankofa — Learn From the Past'
The family-friendly celebration offers live music and DJ sets, Black cowboys, food and merchandise vendors, a quilting exhibition, youth activities, and more.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Free. Brockhurst Street between Market Street and San Pablo Avenue, Oakland. 510-290-0811.
City of Richmond Juneteenth Parade and Festival
A 10 a.m. parade kicks off from Kennedy High School and heads to the community celebration, featuring a marketplace, live music and dance, cultural displays, family-friendly activities, food vendors and more.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Free. Nicholl Park, 3230 Macdonald Ave., Richmond.
LakeFest Oakland: 'It Takes a Village'
A daytime summer festival with an emphasis on community and culture celebrates Juneteenth. Set to take place along the nature-rich shoreline of Lake Merritt, it's scheduled to include live music and entertainment, a fashion show, an artisan marketplace, food vendors, children's area, a beer garden, wellness zone and more.
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, June 21. $5-$10; 5 and under free. Lake Merritt, 568 Bellevue Ave., Oakland.
Hayward Juneteenth Celebration
West Coast Blues Society and the City of Hayward present an annual festival, set to include live blues music from Leo Oliver and the Blues Knockouts, the West Coast Caravan of All-Stars and others. Enjoy soul food trucks, children's activities, Black cowboys, an alcoholic slushy bar and local vendors.
2-6 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Free. Heritage Park, 835 C St., Hayward. 510-583-4000.
Levitt Vibe Oakland Music Series and Juneteenth Celebration
Enjoy an outdoor evening concert in the park with live music from Kyaira, Bianca 'bb' Brown and DJ Blackwoman; food vendors and an Akoma Grand Market with local, Black-owned vendors.
3-6 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Free. Liberation Park, 6955 Foothill Blvd., Oakland. 510-470-0183.
Chief Adjuah
Enjoy a jazz performance from the award-winning trumpeter (formerly Christian Scott) and his all-star ensemble.
7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 21; 7 p.m. Sunday, June 22. $36-$84. Yoshi's, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. 510-238-9200.
The Music of a Jazz Revolutionary: Ornette Coleman Ancestor Celebration
Step into the universe of Ornette Coleman during an afternoon of live boundary-pushing music. Led by Coleman scholar, saxophonist Nora Free, the program brings together some of the Bay Area's most fearless experimental improvisors.
3 p.m. Sunday, June 22. Wyldflowr Arts, 809 37th St., Emeryville.
North Bay
Sonoma County MLK/Juneteenth Celebration
March at 9 a.m. from Santa Rosa's downtown Juilliard Park to a festival at Old Courthouse Square. Enjoy live music and entertainment, family-friendly activities, speakers, food vendors and more.
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, June 14. Free. 69 Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa. 707-623-2701.
Mill Valley Juneteenth Freedom Festival
Celebrate African-American Independence Day with live performances, family-friendly activities, an outdoor marketplace, food and drinks.
11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 14. Free. Mill Valley Downtown Plaza, 87 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley.
Healdsburg Jazz Festival: Juneteenth Celebration on the Plaza
Enjoy an outdoor festival featuring live jazz, Juneteenth activities and exhibits, an Afro-Cuban dance workshop, pop-up gallery space, vending marketplace, food and drinks. Performers scheduled include the Dynamic Miss Faye Carol and drummer Marvin 'Smitty' Smith, pianist Orrin Evans, vocalist Tyreek McDole, poet Enid Pickett and KCSM host Greg Bridges.
The event is part of the 27th Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival, which runs from June 13-22, and includes performances from Kenny Barron, Destiny Muhammad, Dianne Reeves, Terri Lyne Carrington and others.
2-8 p.m. Saturday, June 14. Free. Healdsburg Plaza, Healdsburg Ave. and Matheson St., Healdsburg. 707-433-4633.
American Canyon Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom
Enjoy an afternoon of live entertainment, speakers, food trucks, vendors, a children's area and more.
1-6 p.m. Sunday, June 15. Free-$30. Main Street Park, 5500 Eucalyptus Drive, American Canyon. 707-319-4773.
Vallejo Juneteenth Celebration: 'Remember. Create. Act.'
The festive afternoon event is set to include live music from vocalist Tony Lindsay, the Soul Soldiers, Oakland Rising and Yaboi Nilo. Also on the schedule will be spoken word and dance, along with food and merchandise vendors. A downtown parade precedes the festival at 9 a.m.
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Free. Waterfront Green, 301 Mare Island Way, Vallejo.
Marin City Juneteenth Festival: 'Kuumba'
The annual community festival is set to feature an African Marketplace, live performances, supervised children's area, arts and craft activities, horse rides, food vendors, and more.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Free. Rocky Graham Park, 800 Drake Ave., Sausalito. 844-862-2787.
South Bay
Justice Vanguard Juneteenth Festival: 'Know Justice, Know Peace'
Celebrate the holiday at a community festival set to include an auction, poetry readings, live music, a marketplace, barbecue and drinks.
11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, June 14. Free. Hillview Park, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos.
San Jose Juneteenth in the Streets: '1865 Code — Freedom'
An outdoor afternoon festival in downtown San Jose is set to include live entertainment, vending marketplace, community booths, family-friendly activities, food and drinks.
Noon-7 p.m. Saturday, June 14. Free. SoFa District at South First Street, downtown San Jose. 408-292-3157.
Juneteenth Community Celebration
Explore African art and culture at a family-focused event that's set to include a West African drumming workshop with Pope Flyne, a percussion instrument-making activity and more.
9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19. Included with museum admission, indoor masks and reservations required. Children's Discovery Museum, 180 Woz Way, San Jose.
Celebrate with an outdoor film night beginning with a selection of BraveMaker shorts by Black independent filmmakers, followed by a screening of 'Bob Marley: One Love.'
