Juneteenth, the oldest commemoration of the ending of slavery which dates back to 1865 when Union soldiers landed in Galveston with news that those who were enslaved were now free, is around the corner. Whether you opt for a Zoom, drive-thru or in-person event, there’s a variety of ways to celebrate and honor Juneteenth this year.
Southlake will be celebrating a little bit early this year, with a free Meet The Author event set for June 11 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuning into Zoom, attendees will have the opportunity to meet author Ed Cotham, who recently published “Juneteenth: The Story Behind The Celebration.” Registration for this event is required.
In Fort Worth at the Panther Island Pavilion, a community festival is planned for Juneteenth. On June 19 from 3 to 9 p.m., attendees can enjoy live music, food trucks, a kids zone and fireworks at the end of the night. General admission tickets are $20, kids ages 1 to 12 years old get in free and, a VIP ticket is $45.
A virtual option to celebrate Juneteenth, the Juneteenth Unityfest will kick off on June 19 at 4 p.m. Presented by the Robert Randolph Foundation, the lineup of music guests includes Darius Rucker, Earth, Wind & Fire and Aloe Blacc. Speakers for this event include celebrities like Billy Porter, Wayne Brady and Jon Hamm.
MLK Jr. Center Drive-Thru Celebration
On June 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in Dallas is having a drive-thru celebration. To celebrate Juneteenth, the center along with the Dallas Police Department Office of Community Affairs will be giving away free food, household products and informational resources, among other things. Donations of non-perishable food items, hygiene and household products are also being accepted.
Just a hop, skip and jump away from Southlake, Grand Prairie is commemorating Juneteenth through a parade. The lineup for the parade will begin at 9 a.m. at City Hall, with a brief program at 10 a.m. After 10 a.m. the parade will begin to make its way to Tyre Park.
In Denton, there are both virtual and in-person components to their Juneteenth celebration. The city has a virtual 5K attendees can participate in on their own time between June 17 and June 21. And then on June 19 at 12 p.m. there will be a parade that starts at the Denton Civic Center and ends at Fred Moore Park. To make the most of your parade experience, the city even shared a map showing the crowd zones and the candy hot spots.
In Arlington on June 19 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., the Arlington Museum of Art and Create Arlington Texas will host a Junteenth Jubilee. Held at the Arlington Museum of Art, attendees will be able to enjoy live music, poetry readings, dancing and food trucks, among other things. This event is free and open to everyone.
Other ways to commemorate Juneteenth include browsing the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Juneteenth page, the Dallas Historical Society’s Juneteenth page or donating to organizations that advocate for Black lives.