Juneeteenth marks the date the Union Troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to grant slaves their freedom on June 19 of 1865, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln had announced the emancipation of slavery. Later that year, the 13th Amendment stated that slavery was unconstitutional.
It wasn’t until June 23 of 2021, that the American government recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Today, people across the country come together to commemorate the history of what is also referred to as “Freedom Day.”
Check out some events below, in chronological order, celebrating Juneteenth in Manhattan this year.
Annual Juneteenth Parade and Street Fair
Kick off Juneteenth with the 31st annual parade and street fair. Immerse in the history and cultural expressions of the African American experience.
Live entertainment, local vendors, activities for the whole family, health resources and more will be available.
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: 116th Street between Malcolm X Blvd. (Lenox) and 5th Avenue
Annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest
Celebrate Juneteenth with the fourth annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest with this year’s theme Black To The Future.
The fest is free and open to the public, featuring live performances, give-aways, local vendors, and more.
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: Adam Clayton Powell Jr State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street New York, NY 10027
The Central Park Conservancy hosts the 2024 free celebration with musical presentations, activities for the whole family and educational presentations to learn more about the history of Seneca Village. Curated by Andromeda Turre, artistic director and showcasing the artwork by Daniel Fishel.
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024, noon
Where: Seneca Village Landscape, between W 82nd and 89th Streets
2024 Harlem’s Juneteenth Bar Crawl
Tour Harlem’s best bars, drink Juneteenth-themed cocktails, reconnect with old friends and meet some new ones. Tour routes will be created and teams will be formed, if you plan on crawling with friends, make sure to select the same team number. A team leader will lead the way to all participating venues. All the information will be emailed once tickets are purchased.
When: Saturday, June 15, noon – 7 p.m.
Where: Harlem New York, NY 10027
Juneteenth March 5K Run, Walk & Run
Returning for its fifth time, runners, walkers and joggers are invited to participate with a purpose. The proceeds will go towards the building fund of the Harlem Center, a hub for the arts and wellness of the communities of the five boroughs.
When: Wednesday, June 19, 2024, noon – 2:00 p.m.
Where: Central Park, Engineers Gate on 90th Street & 5th Ave
Art is All Around Concert Series: Juneteenth Performance
Join pianist and composer Willerm Delisfort in a free lunchtime concert in celebration of Juneteenth with sounds of jazz, gospel and R&B. Organized by the Alliance for Downtown New York.
When: Wednesday, June 19, 2024, 12 p.m.
Where: World Trade Center’s North Oculus Plaza, 185 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10006
Juneteenth is Freedom Day, but Racial Wealth Gaps Persist: A NYC Symposium
In-person discussion event to learn, converse and engage with experts and fellow attendees on the factors contributing to the Black and White wealth gap and how to overcome it.
A mixed panel of journalists, professors, athletes, executive directors and company founders will lead the discussion.
The first 70 people to register for the event will receive a free copy of “Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap” by journalist and professor Louise Story and Ebony Reed.
When: Wednesday, June 19, 2024, 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Where: The Theater Center, 210 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10019
Lincoln Center Presents “Some Sing: A Juneteenth Celebration”
Experience the sounds of jazz, rock, R&B, Hip Hop, zydeco, and country curated by historian and artist Carl Hancock Rux’s. Enjoy performances by Cooper-Moore, Brooklyn singer and songwriter Tamar Kali, Stephanie McKay, Bronx-born soul musician and others.
After, enjoy a performance by Herb Alpert award-winning composer Toshi Reagon, which will be “drawing from 200 years of Black Music in collaboration with music across the global African Diaspora,” according to the Lincoln Center’s website.
This free event welcomes the whole family to explore the contributions of Black musicians through time. Grab your general admission tickets, on a first-come first-served basis at the event or reserve your tickets ahead of time by booking on Monday before the event at noon.
When: Wednesday, June 19, 2024, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Hearst Plaza, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
The free concert series by the West Side Community Garden presents Juneteenth’s celebration with a curation by Kenneth Overton, grammy-winning singer of opera’s most important Black composers and librettists. Immerse in the sounds of New York City legacy.
When: Wednesday, June 19, 2024, 6:00 p.m.
Where: West Side Community Garden, 123 W 89th Street, New York, NY 10024
Black and Queer: A Juneteenth Concert
The New York City Men’s Chorus present their second annual concert, an ode to Juneteenth and Pride Month.
Storytelling through solos and interpretations of the singer’s favorite songs, the 75-minute concert will celebrate the story of liberation.
When: Wednesday, June 19, 2024, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Christ Church NYC, 524 Park Avenue (between 60th and 61st Streets) New York, NY 10065
Immerse in the culture and diversity by supporting black chefs and entrepreneurs. The participating Black-owned restaurants will run a $44 prix fixe menu, creating a platform to highlight the rich culinary art of the African American community.
The participating restaurants in Manhattan are: Harlem Hookah, Dejavu Haitian Fusion Restaurant & Lounge, Konnichiwa Harlem Sushi, 67 Orange Street, Veganhood, The Honey Well. Check the website for restaurants in other boroughs and Long Island.
When: June 13 to June 19, 2024
Where: Participating restaurants
Harlem Grown’s First Juneteenth Celebration
Experience Juneteenth in Harlem at Harlem Grown’s first ever Juneteenth celebration. A farm party to honor Harlem’s rich history. Swap recipes, engage with the community, learn and support black and brown businesses and organizations of Harlem.
When: Saturday, June 22, 2024, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: Harlem Grown, 116 W 134th St, New York, NY 10030
Juneteenth Interschool Cookout
Commemorate with friends and family with food and music for the first ever interschool cookout.
Black Student Unions from Columbia Secondary, Stuyvesant, NEST +m, La Guardia, Regis, Fieldston, Chapin, Dalton, Poly Prep, in collaboration with the Black Student Coalition of NYC have made the event possible.
When: Saturday, June 22, 2024, 3:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Where: Rockefeller Park South Lawn, 75 Battery Place, New York, NY 10280
