Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, will be observed across the United States on Thursday, June 19, 2025, with a rich tapestry of celebrations, educational events, and cultural commemorations. Marking the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of slavery—nearly two years after the Emancipation Proclamation—Juneteenth has grown from a regional observance into a nationwide event, officially recognized as a federal holiday since 2021.
In Massachusetts’ Brockton area, the spirit of Juneteenth will be celebrated with a series of vibrant events spanning several communities. Brockton itself will host a major celebration on Saturday, June 14, from noon to 6 p.m. at the Brockton Fairgrounds. Organized by the African American Association of Brockton, this free event offers live entertainment, music, dance performances, food and art vendors, educational exhibits, games, and community organization booths, welcoming everyone to participate in honoring African American heritage.
Nearby, Bridgewater will observe Juneteenth with two distinct events. On Monday, June 16, the Bridgewater Communities for Civil Rights will hold a flag-raising ceremony at the Bridgewater Public Library featuring music and speakers. Later, on Saturday, June 21, the First UU Society of Middleboro and Bridgewater Juneteenth Committee will present a cultural festival at University Park near Bridgewater State University. This event will highlight Black cultural excellence through African drumming, entertainment, kids’ crafts, and food trucks, inviting attendees to bring chairs or blankets for a relaxed afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m.
Randolph’s celebration on June 19 at the Randolph Intergenerational Community Center promises a rich program of dancers, youth roundtable discussions, guest speakers, poetry readings, an art showcase, children’s activities, and soul food provided by Sweet Heaven. This free event runs from noon to 2:30 p.m. and is designed to engage the community in reflection and joy.
Easton’s Juneteenth event, also on June 19, will be a community picnic held at the Natural Resource Trust Pavilion. Hosted by local organizations including Natural Resource Trust, Raising Multicultural Kids, and The Human Rights Committee, the picnic encourages unity in one of Easton’s beautiful green spaces. Participants are asked to bring their own lunch and lawn chair for a noon to 2 p.m. gathering.
Stoughton’s observance on June 19, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Stoughton High School, will uniquely honor the forgotten female veterans of World War II, specifically the Six Triple Eight, the only U.S. Women's Army Corps unit of color. The event features live performances by the Stoughton High School Jazz Combo, the Mean River Blues Band, and X-CLUSIVE Step Dancers, alongside youth olympics, gaming activities, and wellness sessions provided by the Red Cross and local professionals. Food trucks and vendors will offer refreshments at this free celebration.
Taunton will hold its second annual Diversity Network Cultural Fair and Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 21, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Portuguese-American Civic Club. This family-friendly event includes local vendors, food trucks, live music, and entertainment, free to the public.
In the South, Houston and Galveston are hosting a variety of events to honor Juneteenth’s deep cultural roots. Houston’s Juneteenth Culture Fest 2025 spans multiple venues, beginning on June 13 at Miller Outdoor Theatre with performances celebrating gospel, blues, R&B, neo-soul, and funk. Tributes to iconic artists such as Roberta Flack, Angie Stone, and Luther Vandross will be featured, alongside appearances by the Ernest Walker Band, LeToya Luckett, Madicin, Jenni P, and Ruben Studdard.
On June 14 and 15, Avenida Plaza and Discovery Green will host over 100 local vendors offering handmade goods, cultural merchandise, art, fashion, and crafts, complemented by live music, dance, and cultural programming. The Houston Ebony Opera Guild’s annual concert, "From the Middle Passage to Black Lives Matter," will take place on June 15 at MATCH, tracing the journey to freedom through a powerful musical program led by Artistic Director Dr. Jason Oby.
Children’s Museum Houston will celebrate Juneteenth on June 19 with activities including a dance party with DJ Ferbidden, performances by the Joy of Djembe Drumming Ensemble, and the Juneteenth Champions art exhibit. Visitors can also participate in crafts such as making suncatcher flags and paper plate wreaths.
The Juneteenth 160 Fest on June 19 at the Freedmen’s Town Conservancy Visitor’s Center honors Houston’s first free Black neighborhood with yoga sessions, workshops with Poet Laureate Aris Kian Brown, a fireside chat with Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, and a dance party by DJ collective SoulControl. Admission is free, with registration recommended for workshops.
The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum’s three-day event, Juneteenth @160: U.S. Colored Troops' Call to Freedom, begins June 19 with an exhibition and panel discussion at Texas Southern University, continuing with living history encampments, educational presentations, family activities, and vendor showcases through June 21. The celebration concludes with a gathering at the Eldorado Ballroom featuring remarks by Sam Collins III.
Galveston’s festivities include the Juneteenth Island Festival & Celebration on June 14 at Menard Park, featuring live music and a 7 p.m. performance by the Rolling Sevens. On June 19, the Juneteenth Parade will march from Ball Street to Wright Cuney Park, followed by a community picnic. Also on June 19, the Juneteenth 160: Freedom, Fireworks & Family event sponsored by Councilmember Sharon Lewis and the City of Galveston features remarks by Mayor Craig Brown, tributes to veterans, performances, spoken word presentations, and a fireworks finale, with food trucks on site.
Naomi Carrier, founder of the Emancipation Trail Association, will deliver a lecture titled "Juneteenth is a Celebration, Emancipation is Freedom" on June 20 at The Bryan Museum, exploring the holiday’s significance and its place in African American history.
Up north in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire’s 2025 Juneteenth celebration spans 12 days under the theme "A Reckoning: Reclaiming The Past, Remembering Black Voices, Reshaping the Future." Events began June 8 and include panel discussions with descendants of slaves, lectures, arts performances, and a Freedom Dinner. The celebration culminates on June 19 with a ceremony at the African Burying Ground Memorial Park, which marks its 10th anniversary this year.
The African Burying Ground Memorial Park honors approximately 200 African-descended individuals buried in the 1700s, whose resting place was rediscovered in 2003. The June 19 ceremony will feature a rededication of the memorial by Assistant Mayor Joanna Kelley, a performance by the African drumming and dance group Akwaaba Ensemble, and the unveiling of the Black Heritage Trail’s Sankofa Augmented Reality Outdoor Museum Experience, an immersive digital storytelling initiative. The day will also include a community dance to the song "Boots on the Ground," a powerful anthem embraced by figures from Beyoncé to Kamala Harris, symbolizing resistance and cultural pride.
Other Portsmouth events include the unveiling of a headstone honoring Dinah Chase Whipple, a former slave who founded New Hampshire’s first school for Black children; panel discussions on the descendants of enslaved people and founding fathers; explorations of AI and augmented reality in preserving Black history; a Freedom Dinner celebrating Black resistance and joy; an evening of gospel music featuring the Howard University Gospel Choir; and a community walk from Kittery, Maine to the African Burying Ground.
In Pennsylvania’s York and Adams counties, Juneteenth 2025 will be marked by a variety of commemorative events. York will host a celebration on Saturday, June 21, at Campus Park, featuring historical presentations, free food, merchandise, community resources, performances, and activities for all ages. The York Revolution baseball team will honor Juneteenth on June 19 at WellSpan Park with performances by the gospel group The Rossums and a rendition of the national anthem by Amani Weary, followed by a game against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars.
A block party at Union Lutheran Church in York on June 19 will offer free food and clothing, music, and games, supported by a grant from the Cultural Alliance of York. On June 20, a free screening of the documentary "A History of the Underground Railroad and Abolitionists throughout South Central Pennsylvania" will be held, followed by a roundtable discussion with the filmmaker and historians.
Gettysburg will honor Juneteenth with a public ceremony and tours at Lincoln Cemetery, the borough’s only surviving Black cemetery, where over 450 residents are buried. The program will highlight Juneteenth’s significance and ongoing efforts to commemorate the more than 130 unknown individuals interred there. Additional Gettysburg events include educational programs at the Seminary Ridge Museum, a Civil War hospital-themed performance, and a showcase of Black-owned businesses and artists.
Finally, Boston will observe Juneteenth with federal, state, and municipal offices closed, along with public schools (unless already on summer break), libraries, most banks, and the stock market. Retail stores, liquor stores, and supermarkets will remain open, while the MBTA will operate on a normal weekday schedule, though its Charlie Service Center will be closed.
As Juneteenth 2025 unfolds across the nation, these diverse celebrations and commemorations reflect a collective honoring of history, culture, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equity and justice.
