Juneteenth is a celebration that commemorates the end of the enslavement of African-American people in the United States.
It marks the day, June 19th, 1865, when the Emancipation Proclamation (which had been issued on January 1st, 1863) was finally read to enslaved African–Americans in Texas.
It took more than two years for word of freedom to get to enslaved people, and freedom is still a process. Some of the Juneteenth events are calls to action, and all encourage community involvement.
We will list Juneteenth Celebrations in the Triangle, as soon as they’re announced. Following are the celebrations that have been announced for 2022, and we expect many more to be added to this list shortly.
Annual NC Juneteenth Celebration
The NC Juneteenth Celebration takes place on the Golden Belt Campus, 800 Taylor Street, Durham, on Saturday, June 18th, 2022. (Please note the new location.) Enjoy live music, vendors, kids’ activities and more. There will also be a BBQ competition on Sunday, June 19th, 2022.
Capital City Juneteenth Celebration
Last year was the first year for the Capital City Juneteenth Celebration, a collection of events in Raleigh over several days, and it will return this year, 2022. Here are some highlights:
- Juneteenth Celebration at NC Museum of History
- Juneteenth Celebration on grounds of the State Capitol
- Juneteenth Celebration at Dix Park
Dix Park will be hosting an expanded Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 18th, 2022, from 1 to 5 p.m. It will be a free event at Harvey Hill and the Chapel Event Center at Dix Park, 1030 Richardson Drive, Raleigh.
The celebration will feature live music, spoken words, children’s activities, vendors, food trucks, and performances for children.
North Carolina Museum of History will present an afternoon of Juneteenth-inspired activities on Friday, June 17th, 2022, from 1 to 4 p.m. Drop in at the NC Museum of History for an afternoon of activities inspired by the national holiday. Meet members of the Battery B Second Regiment, US Colored Light Artillery Civil War reenactors, as they reveal the legacy of the courageous soldiers in the struggle for freedom and citizenship during the American Civil War. Visit museum exhibits, and watch Neal Thomas make split-oak baskets, like those used by families at early Juneteenth celebrations. This is a free event. 5 E Edenton Street, Raleigh
North Carolina State Capitol will be offering Juneteenth themed tours at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 18th. These tours will focus on the stories of the enslaved African Americans whose skill and labor constructed and maintained the Capitol. The tours are free, but please register in advance. 1 E Edenton Street, Raleigh.
John Chavis Memorial Park Juneteenth Jubilee
Chavis Park, 505 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Raleigh, is hosting a week of Juneteenth events from June 13th to 18th, including a talk on slavery and genealogy, jazz and spoken word, art-making, an African fashion show, and a full-day family festival on June 18th. Also, on June 17th, there’s a Juneteenth Karaoke event at Carolina Pines Park. There will be food trucks at all the events. Learn about all the JCMP Juneteenth Jubilee events.
Hands-On History at Mordecai Historic Park
Mordecai Historic Park, 1 Mimosa Street, Raleigh, is offering Hands-On History: Explore Juneteenth History on Friday, June 17th, 2022, from 1 to 4 p.m. Learn about the first Juneteenth with a Storywalk of “All Different Now,” by Angela Johnson, and a free activity. No registration is required.
Sacrifices and Celebration — a Juneteenth Presentation with Spirit Freedom in Hillsborough
Spirit Freedom, the Orange County Historical Museum and the Northern Orange NAACP are presenting Sacrifices and Celebration — a Juneteenth Presentation. This free event will take place Saturday, June 18th, 2022, from 2 to 4 p.m., at Hillsborough Presbyterian Church, 102 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough.
Free and open to the public, attendees will explore the trauma, struggle, and triumph and achievements of African Americans through performances, storytelling, and discussions of little known Hillsborough figures.
Heels Hoof & Wheels Explosion Parade and Celebration in Zebulon
Todd’s LLC, a family business in Zebulon that presents unique cultural experiences, is presenting the first annual Heels Hoof & Wheels Explosion Juneteenth Parade in Downtown Zebulon. The parade will take place on Saturday, June 18th, 2022, at 1 p.m. The parade route goes along Arendell Avenue, Sycamore Street, Wakefield Street, ending on Barbee Street.
The parade is part of the 9th Annual Juneteenth Heels Hoof & Wheels Explosion, which takes place on June 17th and 18th at Todd’s Park, 1300 Mack-Todd Road, Zebulon. There are both free and ticketed components to the weekend. Learn about Heels Hoof & Wheels Explosion.
Pope House Museum
The City of Raleigh Museum’s annual Juneteenth festivities will take place at the Pope House Museum, 511 S. Wilmington Street, Raleigh, on Saturday, June 18th, and Sunday, June 19th, 2022. The free, family-friendly events include a libations ceremony, special walking tours, games and crafts, music, giveaways and more.
Chapel Hill – Carrboro Juneteenth Celebration
The 2nd Annual Chapel Hill – Carrboro Juneteenth Celebration takes place Sunday, June 19th, 2022, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Hargraves Community Center, 216 N. Roberson Street, Chapel Hill. This free event features live performances, a Black-owned small business fair, kids’ activities, food trucks, and more.
Ackland Art Museum Juneteenth Celebration
Ackland Art Museum, on the University of North Carolina campus, at 101 South Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, has been exhibiting Modern Black Culture: The Art of Aaron Douglas since April. Sunday, June 19th, is the last day of the exhibit. To celebrate the exhibit and Juneteenth there will be special tours and storytimes related to the work. In addition, there’s a temporary graffiti/mural in the courtyard and free family activity kits. There will also be a self-guided art walk to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Juneteenth Celebration at Hargraves Community Center (above.)
Juneteenth in Hayti Neighborhood
Celebrate Juneteenth in the Hayti neighborhood on Friday, June 17th, 2022, from 1 to 9 p.m. Events take place at the Hayti Heritage Center, 804 Old Fayetteville Street, Durham, and other venues in the neighborhood. There will be a youth art market, live music, food trucks, a procession, and more. Free event.
Juneteenth Jubilee Parade
The 1st Annual Juneteenth Jubilee Parade will take place on Saturday, June 25th. It starts at 10 a.m. at East Street and Morson Street and ends at Chavis Park. It’s presented by Victor Company, an organization of fire fighters of color.
Cuttin’ Up for Juneteenth with City of Raleigh Museum
Cuttin Up For Junetenth is a free, two-part event hosted in partnership with The City of Raleigh Museum, VAE Raleigh, RDU BP & Studio Vibes. Both events take place on June 17th, and are free, but require registration. Artist Talk and Black Creatives Mixer is from 5 to 7 p.m. at VAE, 228 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, and Night at the Museum is from 6 to 9 p.m. at City of Raleigh Museum, 220 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh.
Juneteenth Poetry Workshops for Teens
Durham Parks and Recreation’s Cultural Heritage Programs Unit is hosting two poetry workshops for teens (ages 13-18) to celebrate Juneteenth. The workshops take place June 18th, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and from 1 to 4 p.m., at Leigh Farm Park, 370 Leigh Farm Road, Durham.
Teens will join local poet, Kian Furnace, and Cultural Heritage Parks staff, and learn about Juneteenth through the poetry of African American writers. Teens will participate in a libation ceremony, tour Leigh Farm Park, and capture their experiences through their own poetry.
Free, but pre-registration is required.
Exceptional Measures — Celebrating Juneteenth at Carolina Theatre
Join Durham County Library in celebrating Juneteenth at Exceptional Measures at Carolina Theatre, 309 W Morgan Street, Durham, on June 15th, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. The performances feature Grammy nominated Rissi Palmer, nationally competing spoken word artist Dasan Ahanu, and the African American Dance Ensemble. It’s free to attend, but registration is required.
Apex Juneteenth Celebration
The Apex Juneteenth Celebration takes place on Saturday, June 18th, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at The Depot, 220 N. Salem Street, Apex. It will feature performances, family activities, food trucks and more.
Oberlin Village 5K and Pop-Up Museum
The Friends of Oberlin Village are presenting the 1st Annual Oberlin Village Heritage 5K Run/Walk and Pop-Up Museum on Saturday, June 18th, 2022, at Dix Park, at Harvey Hill. The funds raised will help support Friends of Oberlin Village in raising public awareness and preserving Oberlin’s rich history, contributions and achievements. Oberlin Village is the only known surviving freedman’s village in North Carolina that grew out of a Free Black settlement during Reconstruction.
The 5K will start at 8 a.m., and costs $40-$45. There’s a Kids Dash at 9 a.m., and that costs $5. The pop-up museum will take place from 8 to 11 a.m. and is free.
Father’s Day X Juneteenth Play Date
Bring the kids to Motorco, 723 Rigsbee Avenue, Durham, for Father’s Day X Juneteenth Play Date on Saturday, June 18th, 2022, at 1 p.m. The event features a live music concert by Pierce Freelon, who has just released a children’s book, “Daddy Daughter Day,” to accompany his song of the same name. The family event will also feature interactive puppetry by Jeghetto, kids’ activities and games with JessWay and a cotton candy bar from Wonderpuff.
Juneteenth Celebration in Wake Forest — Portraits of the Past
The Town of Wake Forest and the Northeast Community Coalition are presenting Juneteenth — Portraits of the Past on Saturday, June 18th, 2022, from 12 to 3:30 p.m. This is a free event that takes place at The Dubois Center, 518 N. Franklin St., Wake Forest, NC.
Free and open to the public, this year’s Juneteenth Celebration will begin at 11:15 a.m. with a Freedom Walk that begins and ends at The Dubois Center, 518 N. Franklin St. Participants are encouraged to begin assembling for the march at 11 a.m.
The day’s activities will highlight the freeing of the slaves in Texas two years after the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Immediately following the Freedom Walk there will be food, activities, music, and more.
Juneteenth in Smithfield
There are two Juneteenth celebrations in Smithfield. On Friday, June 17th, the Black Music Appreciation Month/Juneteenth Celebration will take place at Johnston Community College Learning Resource Center, 245 College Road, Smithfield, from 6 to 10 p.m. It will feature live music from Jus Once Band and The Mack Band, as well as food trucks, bounce hosues, and vendors.
On Saturday, June 18th, 2022, there will be a Juneteenth Parade starting at 10 a.m. from The Alumni Center, 1110 Massey Street, Smithfield. It will proceed to Smith Collins Park, 909 E Lee Street, Smithfield. Then there will be a cookout celebration at Smith Collins Park starting at noon, with FREE food, music, vendors, spoken word performances and more.
Cary’s Juneteenth Celebration
Town of Cary is holding a Juneteenth celebration on Sunday, June 19th, 2022, at the old library site, 310 S Academy Street, from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
In addition, watch The Fire of Freedom performed by Mike Wiley at The Cary Arts Center on Sunday, June 19th, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Also, the Cary Arts Center will be lit red, yellow and green from June 17th to 19th.
Historic Stagville
Stagville State Historic Site, at 5828 Old Oxford Highway in Durham, contains the remnants of one of the largest plantations of the pre-Civil War South. It offers programs all year that educate the public about the life of the enslaved people who lived there. Historic Stagville is offering Emancipation tours every Saturday in June, 2022. They are free, but registration is required. In addition, there are tours on Sunday, June 19th, 2022.
Juneteenth at Historic Oak View County Park
Historic Oak View County Park, at 4028 Carya Drive, Raleigh, is educating visitors about the enslaved people who labored at Oak View, and their emancipation, throughout the month of June. There will be a self-guided Juneteenth display, featuring interpretive panels about Juneteenth and the stories of the formerly enslaved people at Oak View, throughout the month.
In addition, there will be two Juneteenth story times, on June 7th and 11th, at 10 a.m., recommended for children ages 4-8, and a special Juneteenth tour on June 25th at 11 a.m.
Aya Shabu says
Please include in your listing the Juneteenth celebration at the Hayti Heritage Center on 804 Old Fayetteville St. in Durham, NC on Friday, June 18th from 3 -9 pm hosted by the Fayetteville St. Corridor Fellows, e Connected, Village of Wisdom, and Hayti Heritage Center.
N. Feaste says
Thank you for the thorough update.
Vondra Moore says
Please add to the list:
Burlington
Burlington will kick off the Juneteenth celebrations on Friday, June 17 at North Park.
Food, music and games will be available at the third annual event located at 817 Sharpe Road, Burlington. The event will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Mebane
The Mebane Recreation and Parks Department will host a Juneteenth community celebration on Saturday, June 18 at the Mebane Community Park. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., food trucks, vendors, community groups, live entertainment will be set up at the park.
Local judges, church leaders and represented officials will speak throughout the event.
The park is located at 550 W. Center St., Mebane.
Green Level
For the second year, the town of Green Level will host a Juneteenth celebration at the Green Level Municipal Park on Sunday, June 19 at 6 p.m. Festivities will include games, vendors, food, entertainment and a fireworks show at sundown.
The inaugural event welcomes over 1,500 visitors and 30 vendors last year so its likely to see a big turn out once again.
The park is located at 1414 Swann Road, Green Level.