From waterfront festivals and live music performances to historic sites, cultural programs, and community gatherings, destinations throughout Virginia are commemorating Juneteenth in ways that honor African American heritage while inviting visitors to engage with local history, arts, and culture.
Below is a selection of Juneteenth events taking place across Virginia, offering media opportunities to explore the many ways localities are celebrating this important holiday.
Featured Events
Norfolk
Norfolk’s Juneteenth celebration returns June 19–21 with a vibrant, waterfront festival honoring freedom, culture, and community at Town Point Park. Coinciding with Harborfest and Sail250 Virginia festivities, the multi-day celebration blends live entertainment, African American history and cultural programming, family activities, and community engagement along the Downtown Norfolk waterfront. Visitors can enjoy performances from nationally recognized artists, educational exhibits, historic interpreters, local vendors, and a Juneteenth Freedom Fireworks celebration over the Elizabeth River.
Highlights:
- Live performances by Patti LaBelle, Sister Sledge featuring Sledgendary, Roberta Lea, and regional artists
- Juneteenth Freedom Fireworks Celebration on Friday, June 19
- Interactive Discovery Deck Education Center featuring exhibits, performances, and hands-on activities
- Historic African American interpreters bringing important Norfolk and Underground Railroad stories to life
- “Juneteenth Walk in History” self-guided exhibit throughout Town Point Park
- Black-owned business vendors and diverse local food offerings
- Free admission and free Hampton Roads Transit service on Juneteenth
Williamsburg
Williamsburg will commemorate Juneteenth with a wide range of events honoring African American history, culture, and community through educational programming, live performances, storytelling, film, art, and reflection. Spanning multiple historic sites and venues throughout the destination, the celebration includes special programming at Colonial Williamsburg, the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, William & Mary, and community organizations. Visitors can also explore local Black-owned businesses and Juneteenth experiences through Williamsburg’s free Juneteenth Mobile Pass.
Highlights:
- Freedom Fest community celebration featuring music, food, and family activities
- Historical interpretation and African American history programming at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
- William & Mary’s Juneteenth commemoration themed “The Black Renaissance”
- Opening reception for a new art exhibition centered on African American history and culture
- Screening of the Academy Award-winning film Glory
- Storytelling performance by master interpreter Sheila Arnold
- “Journey to Racial Healing” community dialogue and engagement event
- Red carpet premiere of Displaced from the Birthplace of America
Newport News
Newport News will celebrate the 20th Annual Juneteenth Freedom Festival on June 20 at Victory Landing Park, bringing the community together for an evening of music, entertainment, and celebration along the waterfront. The free event features a lineup of DJs and performers throughout the evening, culminating with a headline performance by R&B group Day26. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment, free activities, and a festive atmosphere honoring the significance of Juneteenth. Admission, parking, and activities are free, while food, beer, and wine will be available for purchase.
Franklin
Franklin’s Fourth Annual Juneteenth Cultural Celebration returns June 18–21 with four days of culture, community, music, and empowerment honoring freedom and Black excellence. Presented by Amun Ra Inc. in partnership with the City of Franklin, the celebration will feature nationally recognized speaker Dr. Umar Johnson alongside live bands, DJs, gospel music, celebrity impersonators, vendors, family-friendly activities, and appearances by the Original Black Panther Party of Virginia and Nat Turner Story performers. The event begins June 18 with a wreath-laying ceremony at the slave memorial at Bon Secours Southampton Medical Center in Franklin.
Northern Virginia
Alexandria
Alexandria will commemorate Juneteenth with a series of programs exploring the experiences and contributions of enslaved African Americans. At Carlyle House, the specialty tour Tell Me Your Name examines the lives of the enslaved people who lived and worked at the property and its plantations, providing insight into the history of slavery in 18th-century Alexandria. Nearby, George Washington’s Mount Vernon will host its annual Freedom Before Emancipation: Family Day for Juneteenth on June 19–20, featuring estate tours, musical performances, historical demonstrations, character interpreters, and a commemorative ceremony honoring the lives and legacy of the enslaved people who lived and labored at Mount Vernon.
Leesburg
The Burg Family Reunion Club’s Sixth Annual Juneteenth Celebration will take place June 20 on the grounds of Ida Lee Recreation Center in Leesburg. This day-long event commemorating the end of slavery will feature guest speakers, genealogy discussions, live music performances, and local food vendors.
Warrenton
Fauquier County’s Juneteenth Celebration returns June 19–20 with two days of programming honoring history, culture, and community. The weekend begins with a Juneteenth Block Party at Eva Walker Park featuring vendors, food trucks, family history tents, historical presentations, storytelling, and live performances by Be-1 Band and Be’la Dona. The celebration continues at the Warrenton Aquatic Recreation Facility with the Juneteenth Cultural & Arts Festival & Health Fair, offering vendors, youth activities, wellness stations, live music, and performances by Barbour Travelers, Chemistry Band, and Major League Band.
Central Virginia
Henrico
This year’s Juneteenth Celebration on June 20 honors the evolution of Black culture since emancipation through an immersive experience of music, art, and community. From the rhythms that shaped generations to the creativity that continues to influence the world, take a journey through the sounds, stories, and spirit of freedom. Enjoy a vibrant vendor fair featuring 100 local businesses and artisans, live entertainment, and food vendors. Parking and admission are free and open to the public.
Petersburg
OCR Community Empowerment Group and Friends of the Lower Appomattox River partner for a Juneteenth Environmental and Community Day on Pocahontas Island. This hands-on event will include litter cleanup, invasive species removal, and community stewardship activities designed to bring people together while caring for our environment, celebrating Juneteenth through action.
Blackstone
The Town of Blackstone hosts its Sixth Annual Juneteenth Celebration on June 27 at the Harris Memorial Multi-Purpose & Hospitality Training Center Grounds. The event features a block party, kids’ zone, contests, awards, and keynote speaker VUU President Dr. Hakim Lucas.
Southern Virginia
Gretna
Celebrate freedom at the Fifth Annual Juneteenth event at Sharswood Manor Estate on June 14. This free, family-friendly event invites visitors to enjoy live music, food trucks, and local arts and craft vendors while exploring the rich history of Pittsylvania County. Sharswood Manor, a historic site featuring the main house, restored slave dwellings, and an enslaved cemetery, offers a powerful setting to reflect on the lives and legacy of those who lived and worked on the land. Guests can tour the property and learn about its evolution from a 2,000-acre tobacco plantation to a place of preservation and education. Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet the Miller family, descendants of people once enslaved at Sharswood, who now steward the property through the Sharswood Foundation.
Danville
The True North Speaker Series Juneteenth Celebration on June 19 honors the strength, resilience and tenacity that define the essence of Black women in entrepreneurship, economics, health and community development. This year’s celebration will feature 11 phenomenal women for a powerful and inspiring panel discussion covering topics that uplift and empower our communities. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in networking, browse an art showcase highlighting talented Black artists, and shop a vibrant vendor market spotlighting Black women-owned businesses.
Emporia
The City of Emporia will host its second annual Juneteenth Soul Picnic on June 13 at Veterans Memorial Park. This community celebration will bring residents and visitors together for an afternoon of live entertainment, fellowship, and cultural celebration, featuring performances by Brandon Roberts, Xpressionz Band, and Miss Mickenzie. The event offers an opportunity to honor the significance of Juneteenth while enjoying music, community spirit, and family-friendly fun in the heart of downtown Emporia.
