Every year, communities gather together in honor of Juneteenth, otherwise known as “Freedom Day,” with celebrations of Black culture and heritage. From parades and festivals to concerts and cookouts, here’s a sampling of ways you can spend this holiday in the Bay Area.
Juneteenth Paint & Sip: 12 to 4 p.m. June 8-9, Cleveland Cascade, Lakeshore and Merritt Ave., Oakland. Celebrate Juneteenth at Cleveland Cascade Paint & Sip, where guests are invited to relax with some refreshing drinks, unleash inner creativity, and honor Black history together. $19. tinyurl.com/JuneteenthPaintSip
Pinole Pride and Juneteenth Celebration: 12 to 3 p.m. June 9, Fernandez Park, 595 Tennent Ave., Pinole. Come out to the second annual Pinole Pride and Juneteenth Celebration for a day of live music, joyous performances, children’s activities and food trucks, plus local organizations and vendors. Free admission. tinyurl.com/PinolePrideteenth
NightLife x Make History: 6 p.m. June 13, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco. Honor Black contributions to global dance at Cal Academy of Sciences with a special Juneteenth edition of the Make History dance battle. Plus, get ready to shop because In the Black is back with a marketplace featuring Black-owned local businesses. $20.95. calacademy.org/nightlife/nightlife-x-make-history
Livermore Valley Arts Juneteenth Celebration: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 15, Bankhead Plaza, 2400 First St., Livermore. Celebrate Juneteenth at Bankhead Plaza with a full slate of fun activities and festivities including music, art, drumming, singing, dancing, and live performances. Free. livermorearts.org/events/juneteenth-4/
Pleasanton Library Juneteenth Celebration: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 15, Firehouse Arts Center Patio, 4444 Railroad Ave., Pleasanton. Join the Pleasanton Library and Recreation Department for an outdoor Juneteenth celebration featuring music and dance performances, arts and crafts booths and live storytelling. Free. tinyurl.com/JuneteenthLibrary
Vallejo Juneteenth Celebration: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 15, Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Green, 301 Mare Island Way, Vallejo. Come out to Vallejo’s 34th Annual Juneteenth Festival and Parade to celebrate freedom and unity with live music, delicious food, arts and crafts vendors and a vibrant parade showcasing the rich culture and history of Juneteenth. Free admission. tinyurl.com/VallejoJuneteenth
Juneteenth Decades Festival: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 15, 1330 Fillmore St., San Francisco. More than 10,000 people will be in attendance to commemorate Juneteenth in San Francisco’s historic Fillmore District. The Freedom Celebration will span six city blocks featuring dozens of retail and food vendors, carnival rides and games, block party activities and live music. tinyurl.com/JuneteenthDecades
Kierra Sheard performs at the 41st Annual Juneteenth In The Streets event in San Jose, California on Saturday, June 18 2022. The surges of public interest in Racial Justice and the Black Lives Matter movement have slowed down since the uprisings of 2020. (Angela Choi for Mosaic Journalism)
Juneteenth in the Streets Festival: 12 to 7 p.m. June 15, Downtown San Jose, South First St., San Jose. Come out for the 43rd Annual Juneteenth in the Streets Festival, promised to be as epic as ever. For over 40 years, this festival has averaged more than 6,000 attendees with an enticing array of festivities including live entertainment, food vendors, unique artistry, local retailers and community services. Free admission. sjaacsa.org/juneteenth/home
Juneteenth Celebration Concert: 2 to 3:30 p.m. June 15, New Destiny Church, 625 Eighth St., Oakland. Join Amateur Music Network for their Fourth Annual Juneteenth Choral Celebration, an inspiring afternoon of singing American spirituals conducted by Dr. Candace Y. Johnson with special guests Hope Briggs and Lamar Green. $10 to $20. amateurmusic.org/info/workshop/juneteenth-2024/
Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom Awards: 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. June 15, California Ballroom, 1736 Franklin St., Oakland. The 2024 “Rooted in the Town” Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom Awards will honor outstanding members of the Oakland community. Tip your hats to the leaders of tomorrow while enjoying bites from Bay Area chefs, a Black Winemaker Showcase and special guest entertainment. $125. tinyurl.com/COFawards
Juneteenth with OIGC: 8 p.m. June 15 at Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage and Livermore’s Bankhead Theater. The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir will celebrate Juneteenth with two soul-stirring performances. Led by Founding Artistic Director Terrance Kelly, OIGC invites attendees to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and embrace the promise of a more equitable future through the power of Black gospel music. $25 to $35. oigc.org/tickets
Ken Rawls, of Richmond, with C.J.’s BBQ and Fish cooks spare ribs for visitors at the 36th annual Berkeley Juneteenth Festival in Berkeley, Calif., on Sunday, June 18, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Berkeley Juneteenth Festival: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 16, Adeline Street at Alcatraz Avenue, Berkeley. The 37th Annual Berkeley Juneteenth Festival will commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans with family friendly entertainment including live music on the main stage, kids activities and tons of local food and drink vendors. Free admission. berkeleyjuneteenth.org/
Antioch Juneteenth Freedom Celebration: 12 to 5 p.m. June 16, Williamson Ranch Park, Antioch. Join the City of Antioch for a day of reflection that showcases the richness of African American heritage with live performances, music, food and fun activities. Free admission. antiochca.gov/juneteenth/
Juneteenth Bayview Father’s Day Festival: 12 to 6 p.m. June 16, Gilman Playground, 903 Gilman Ave., San Francisco. Brought to you by the San Francisco African American Arts and Cultural District, this Juneteenth and Father’s Day mashup features amusement rides, food and retail vendors, live performances and hip-hop artists, prize giveaways and a car show. Free admission. sf-juneteenth.com/
The CIA at Copia Juneteenth Celebration: 3 to 6 p.m. June 16, The CIA at Copia, 500 First St., Napa. The CIA at Copia will be hosting acclaimed chef, restaurateur, and expert on soul food Tanya Holland for a Juneteenth celebration featuring southern BBQ, tasty drinks and live music. $35 to $65. tinyurl.com/CopiaJuneteenth
Juneteenth at Golden Gate Bandshell: 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 16, Golden Gate Bandshell, Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco. Come out to the iconic Golden Gate Bandshell for a Juneteenth and Father’s Day mashup concert featuring music of African American composers and artists. Free. goldengateparkband.org/concerts/
Juneteenth at Children’s Discovery Museum: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 19, 180 Woz Way, San Jose. Celebrate African American culture at Children’s Discovery Museum. Discover the vast richness of the African Diaspora with a series of short films, find your rhythm during a drumming workshop, and catch the beat by making your very own drum to practice at home. $16-$18. cdm.org/celebrate/community-celebrations/juneteenth/
OMCA Hella Juneteenth Cookout: 1 to 5 p.m. June 19, Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland. Hosted by the Oakland Museum of California and Oakland collective Hella Creative, this cookout invites the community to indulge in delectable cuisine prepared by beloved Black chefs and restaurants, revel in live music, partake in games, and engage in activities paying homage to Black culture and freedom. $10 admission, $75 VIP, free to visitors 12 and under. museumca.org/event/hella-juneteenth-the-cookout
Juneteenth in the Town Jubilee: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 19, Block Community Hub, 1955 Broadway, Oakland. Celebrate the history, culture, and transformational power of Oakland’s Black community. Guests are invited to don their favorite cocktail or African-inspired attire, while enjoying soulful entertainment, comforting cuisine, delightful spirits, and fellowship with dynamic Bay Area leaders. $75 to $150. tinyurl.com/JuneteenthTownJubilee
James Henry of Hands on Fire pulls an audience member in for a duet during a Juneteenth celebration in Marin City, Calif. Saturday, June 29, 2019. (Jeremy Portje/ Marin Independent Journal)
Marin City Juneteenth Festival: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. June 22, Rocky Graham Park, 800 Drake Ave., Sausalito. The Marin City Juneteenth Festival is an annual community festival featuring top-notch performances, kids activities like face painting, arts and crafts and horse riding, and an African Marketplace with food, fashion, jewelry, art, books, and more. Free admission. juneteenthcommunityfestival.info/
Justice Vanguard Juneteenth Festival: 12 to 5 p.m. June 22, Hillview Park, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos. This annual community Juneteenth festival will celebrate progress, joy, and connection with music, dancing, art, games, poetry, speeches, wine, beer and BBQ. Free admission. justicevanguard.org/upcomingevents/juneteenth-festival-2024
Hayward Juneteenth Celebration: 12 to 6 p.m. June 22, Hayward Heritage Plaza, 835 C St., Hayward. West Coast Blues Society and the City of Hayward are proud to present the Fourth Annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration, featuring live blues music, food trucks, kids activities and local vendors. Free admission. instagram.com/cityofhayward/p/C7SUQQ2vN-7/
‘Fallen Heroes, Rising Stars’ Juneteenth Celebration: 3 to 5 p.m. June 22, Grown Women Dance Collective, 9th St. between Broadway & Washington, Oakland. Enjoy a celebration of dance, music, and U.S. history for the entire family. Grown Women Dance Colective’s all-star cast will honor musical greats and civic leaders with electrifying tributes. Free. grownwomendance.org/juneteenth-2022-1
Juneteenth Foodie Fest: 12 to 6 p.m June 23, Chabot College, 25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward. Bring your lovers, friends, and family to soak up all the good vibes at Juneteenth Foodie Fest, gathering some of the Bay’s hottest chefs, artists, crafters and black-owned businesses for a day of unity, community, and empowerment. Free admission. tinyurl.com/JuneteenthFoodie
