Though it only recently became a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has been celebrated since the end of slavery in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. Those celebrations often include plenty of recipes passed down through generations, ranging from barbecue to show-stopping desserts.
If you don't have a Juneteenth celebration planned at home, you're not out of luck! Both New York City and Los Angeles see a ton of celebratory Juneteenth events — here are a few to put on your radar this holiday.
Events in the New York City area:
- June 19, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time
- Times Square
Hosted by The Broadway League’s Black to Broadway Initiative, this year’s free concert is hosted by Michael James Scott and features 35 performers from shows including Aladdin, Hell’s Kitchen, The Lion King, Water for Elephants and The Wiz, among many others.
- June 13-19, multiple times
- Brooklyn
Now in its 15th year, the nonprofit organization Juneteenth NY is a multi-day celebration. Events this year included a Black Kings Celebration, parade and fashion show, culminating with a virtual summit on the 19th.
- June 19, 7 p.m. Eastern Time
- Midtown East
To celebrate both Pride and Juneteenth, guests are invited to join the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus at Christ Church in Midtown for a 75-minute concert. The night’s show will feature a number of the Chorus’s solo artists who will share what the holiday means to them through their own stories.
- June 19, 12 to 6 p.m. Eastern Time
- Astoria
This year’s celebration at the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) includes a screening of Black filmmaker Spencer Williams’ “The Blood of Jesus” (with a panel discussion immediately to follow), live music and a tour of the museum.
Events in the Los Angeles area:
- June 19th, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Time
In place of the annual event held in Los Angeles' Leimert Park Village, which was canceled this year, the Leimert Park Merchants Association is hosting its own Juneteenth celebration in the same place. The location is extremely fitting, as Leimert Park is known as the historic center of Black and African American culture in Los Angeles. According to the official website, the event will have food, music, and family-friendly activities perfect for a day of celebrating freedom.
- June 19th, 8 p.m. Pacific Time start
- 2301 Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068
This one-night-only concert is described on the Hollywood Bowl's website as a "celebration of freedom, creativity, and brilliant artistic tradition." The event curated by the musician T-Pain and will feature many Black artists, including a full orchestra.
- Various dates
- Multiple LAPL branches
The Los Angeles Public Library is hosting multiple free art-forward events in honor of Juneteenth. The events range from poetry readings to free movie screenings and offer options for all ages.
