Know your history: Juneteenth, which became a federal holiday in 2021, originated on June 19, 1865, in Galveston Bay, Texas, when about 2,000 Union Troops announced that “more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state [were] free by executive decree.”
It’s also a day when the Black community rejoices, reflects, and participates in communal efforts through festivals, parties, and gatherings. For this year’s Juneteenth, here are some events that you can attend in the New York and New Jersey areas that focus on this historical holiday.
June 19
11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Host: Battery Park City Authority, Federation of Black Cowboys, and Go Hard Dance Studio
Location: Rockefeller Park
River Terrace & Murray Street
New York, NY 10280
The Battery Park City Authority will host its Juneteenth Celebration with the Federation of Black Cowboys and Go Hard Dance Studio. The Federation of Black Cowboys will provide pony rides while teaching the history of horsemanship and riding (riders must be 3 years old or older). Meanwhile, Go Hard Dance Studio will host a dance workshop on hip-hop and soul line dancing. The event is free to attend, and you can reserve your spot by searching Battery Park City Authority Juneteenth Celebration on Eventbrite.
12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
Host: Jackie Robinson Museum
Location: Jackie Robinson Museum
One Hudson Square Building
75 Varick St
New York, NY 10013
To celebrate Juneteenth and African American Music Month, the Jackie Robinson Museum will host a special tribute to Jackie Robinson’s life and legacy through music. This event will feature gallery tours about baseball and music history, hands-on art creations, interactive workshops, and more. Tickets are on sale now and available to purchase on the Jackie Robinson Museum website. Tickets are free for children under the age of 5; $15.00 for adults, seniors, college students, youth ages 5–17, and visitors with disabilities.
12:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Host: Lincoln Park Conservancy, Inc.
Location: Glen Island Park
Weyman Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10805
The Lincoln Park Conservancy, Inc. is hosting its sixth annual Juneteenth Celebration. The celebration will have live performances, an African Marketplace, food trucks, games, arts and crafts, and more. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Celebrating Our Legacy: Informing Our Present, Embracing Our Future.” Check the Lincoln Park Conservancy, Inc’s Facebook page for more updates.
12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
Host: Staten Island Museum
Location: Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor
1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A
Staten Island, NY 10301
The Staten Island Museum will host a Juneteenth Family Day, including a performance by lyric baritone and music educator Daland Jones, a pop-up exhibition about “Rhythms of Change: An Altered Books Project,” developed and led by artist Caryn T. Davis; hands-on art workshops; and more. The event is free to attend. Register at the Staten Island Museum website.
Time: 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Host: New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Location: West 81st Street and Central Park West
Central Park
New York, NY
The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation will host a learning experience at Central Park about Seneca Village, the largest community of African American property owners in New York before it became what we know as Central Park today. The event is free to attend. Register by creating a NYC Parks account on the department’s webpage.
Time: 4:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Host: Irvington’s Juneteenth Committee
Location: Irvington Senior Center
29 Bridge Street
Irvington, NY 10533
Irvington’s Juneteenth Committee will host their seventh annual Juneteenth celebration. The event, “A Fearless Block Party,” will feature a DJ, music, food trucks, Double Dutch, Mt. Vernon’s Ice-Cold drumline, and more. The event is free to attend. For more information, contact irvcommemorationproject@gmail.com.
Time: 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Host: Saltscape Wellness Center
Location: 8 Queen Anne Road
Bogota, NJ 07603
The Saltscape Wellness Center is hosting a Juneteenth Freedom Night featuring music, culture, community, reflection, and connection. It has a soulful vibe featuring Black-owned business vendors, an ancestral candlelight ceremony, spoken words, a Wall of Freedom interactive community experience, and more. The event is free to attend. RSVP on the Seascape Wellness Center’s Eventbrite page.
Time: 6:00 p.m.–12:00 a.m.
Host: DJ Jaybo
Location: Confessions Bar
333 Marcus Garvey Blvd.
Brooklyn, NY
DJ Jaybo will host his second annual Reparations Party on Juneteenth weekend. The party celebrates Black liberation. Tickets are on sale now; purchase them at posh.vip/e/reparations-juneteenth-2026-kickoff. All people in the Black diaspora will get a special discount on tickets, priced at $6.19. For allies and abolitionists, tickets are $18.65.
June 20
Time: 12:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Host: Township of Union
Location: Biertümpfel Park
1300 Winslow Ave.
Union, NJ 07083
The Township of Union’s sixth annual Juneteenth Festival is an event where everyone can come together to honor the past, celebrate the present, and build a brighter future. There will be Black-owned business vendors, DJ sets, food, family-friendly activities, and more. The event is free to attend.
Time: 2:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Host: 651 ARTS & the Soapbox
Location: Plaza at 300 Ashland
10 Lafayette Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
651 ARTS and the Soapbox are teaming up once again to host their annual “We Outside! A Brooklyn Juneteenth, Vol. IV” celebration, honoring Black joy and community with a Made Black: A Juneteenth Marketplace curated by Brooklyn Pop-Up; dance performances through the Cypher: Rep Your Style; an HBCU celebration in Young, Gifted and Black; poets and musicians in Word on the Street; family-friendly activities; and much more. The event is free to attend. Register now at 651 Arts Eventbrite page.
