The best Juneteenth events in NYC for 2024

The 15th Annual Juneteenth NY Festival gathers thousands of attendees in Brooklyn for a vibrant celebration of rich culture through music, dance, sports clinics, history, vendors, and families. This year, it will happen over June 13-19.

Events include an awards ceremony honoring 21 New York men for their impact in the community, a restaurant crawl, free festival with local vendors, a parade, a fashion show, raffles, and a virtual summit.

This year's theme is "Unveiled: Understanding the Journey from Our Roots," as event organizers encourage attendee to explore the Black community's profound history and ongoing journey toward liberation and empowerment. 

Battery Park City Authority's 8th annual Juneteenth Celebration returns this year on Saturday, June 15 with a free, family-friendly afternoon of history, art, crafts, and music. The Federation of Black Cowboys share history, horsemanship and riding. And, yes, you can even take a pony ride (must be 3 years old or older for pony rides).

Other activities include a chance to paint your own Juneteenth flag and make bookmarks with West African printed cotton. Author Sana Butler will read from her book "Sugar of the Crop," and Juneteenth LP will play music inspired by the African Diaspora.

The Broadway League’s Black to Broadway Initiative presents the fourth annual Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth concert, a free outdoor event centered around Black artistry and community. 

Black culture and expression will be celebrated by Black Broadway artists accompanied by live music provided by The Music Performance Trust Fund and The Film Funds. Michael James Scott will host. 

Expect to see more than than 35 performers from the following 17 Broadway shows: Aladdin; & Juliet; Back to the Future: The Musical; Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club; Chicago; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; The Heart of Rock and Roll; Hell’s Kitchen; Illinoise; The Lion King; MJ; Moulin Rouge! The Musical;The Notebook; Suffs; Water for Elephants; The Who’s Tommy; The Wiz; and the return of the kids of Young Gifted and Broadway.

This free 90-minute concert is open to all and takes place on Wednesday, June 19, 11am-12:30pm (rain or shine). 

Head to Lincoln Center on June 19 for “Some Sing: A Juneteenth Celebration” by Carl Hancock Rux, a free campus-wide jubilee that “weaves together a rich tapestry of Black-American musical legacies, rituals, and practices.”

Highlighting how genres like blues, jazz, rock, R&B, hip-hop, zydeco and country can all trace their roots back to Black innovators, the special event will feature performances from the likes of influential free jazz experimentalist Cooper-Moore, Brooklyn singer-songwriter Tamar-kali, Bronx-born soul musician Stephanie McKay and more, culminating in a concert set with Herb Alpert award-winning Toshi Reagon and her full band.

The Black Women in Comedy's Laff Fest is back for its fifth year, a breeding ground for fresh and funny talent at venues across both Brooklyn and Manhattan, including Lincoln Center, Westside Comedy Club, Littlefield and more. Running from June 19 to 23, this annual festival shines a spotlight on the immense talent and resilience of Black women in comedy, with performers like Chanel Ali, Ashima Franklin, Vanessa Fraction, Kerry Coddett, Rita Brent and last year’s Best of the Fest winner Cherryann Trinidad. Tickets cost $20/show. 

Head to the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn on Saturday, June 15, for the third annual Juneteenth Food Festival hosted with Black-Owned Brooklyn. This year's lineup will feature 42 local food vendors and artisans, dance workshops, double-dutch performances, cooking demos, book signings and more in a vibrant celebration of Black food and culture. Dine on dishes like South Carolina barbecue, Senegalese thiebou jen, Jamaican jerk chicken tacos, vegan soul-food dishes with a Puerto Rican twist and more.

After you're done eating, check out a marketplace of apparel, accessories, records and books—all from Black brands. You can also enjoy an all-day house music set by the Brooklyn-based Soul Summit DJ collective and other cultural performances.  

It might seem impossible to experience tranquility in the middle of hustling, bustling Manhattan, but Bryant Park’s free yoga series presented by CALIA is aiming to achieve just that. Though the outdoor classes will be held all summer long through September 25, on Wednesday, June 19, you can roll out your mat for a Juneteenth edition led by Pilin Anice, a yoga, barre, dance, and meditation instructor, health coach, artist and model.

Along with trying out various styles of yoga and meditation on the park's famous lawn from 6pm to 7pm, the special session will also feature life music "that will urge attendees to evolve, heal and live authentically," organizers say. Though the class is free and open to the public, make sure to register in advance, and don't forget your yoga mat and water bottle!

651 ARTS, a place to "create and experience art that is led by, centers, and celebrates Black voices," is back with its fourth annual Juneteenth celebration, once again in collaboration with the popular outdoor music concert series The Soapbox Presents. Taking over The Plaza at 300 Ashland Place in Downtown Brooklyn on Saturday, June 15, the event's 2024 theme is “Individual Expression” and will feature a series of musical performances, spoken word, dance workshops and other special experiences throughout the day. It's free to get in; reserve a ticket here.

Additionally, Brooklyn Pop-up will curate a marketplace experience for the day composed of Black-owned businesses and Black vendors and artisans.

Honor both Pride Month and Juneteenth by joining the New York City Gay Men's Chorus for Black and Queer: A Juneteenth Concert at Christ Church NYC on Wednesday, June 19. Presented by the East Midtown Partnership, the 75-minute concert will celebrate the intersectionality of the chorus by centering "voices and experiences too long unheard," organizers say, with a group of Black NYCGMC soloists sharing what Juneteenth means to them through their personal stories and favorite songs.

"This concert, as I see it, is a perfect opportunity to illuminate through music the unique and important nexus of racial justice and the advancement of LGBTQIA+ equality and advocacy," says Rev. Dr. Eric S. Park, senior minister at Christ Church. "We hope that you will plan on being present for this historic concert, the spirit of which moves us forward toward a preferred future in which all forms of discrimination give way to equity, inclusion, justice, integrity, and compassion."

Admission to the special event is free, but a suggested donation of $30 would be appreciated.

Black Restaurant Week returns to New York City and the Tri-State area for its fifth year. Kicking off on Juneteenth, a.k.a. Wednesday, June 19, the annual campaign celebrates “the diverse tastes of African American, African, and Caribbean cuisine throughout the country," with budget-friendly menu selections at restaurants, bakeries, cafés, food trucks and more throughout the five boroughs, as well as New Jersey townships. 

From June 19 through Sunday, June 30, you can frequent up to 80 participating venues, including Red Rooster Harlem, Cascade Jerk, Twins BBQ Co., Collective Fare, Tamarind Island, Voila Afrique, Misfits Nutrition, Brooklyn Blend, Negril Village, Lee Lee's Baked Goods, The Real Mothershuckers and many more. 

Check out the Black Restaurant Week website for the full line-up of participating New York and New Jersey restaurants, and get ready to eat very well.

In celebration of Juneteenth, The Unsung Collective—a Harlem-based music collective devoted to celebrating stories of the Black experience—will perform a free and open-to-the-public concert at The Forum at Columbia University (601 West 125th Street) on Friday, June 14 at 6pm.

Part of Columbia's Culture on the Corner, an initiative aiming to celebrate and explore the vibrant tapestry of the neighborhood, the performance will offer an immersive experience of classical music and storytelling, and will showcase the voices of world-renowned soprano Janinah Burnett and baritone Phillip Bullock. Advance registration is encouraged, and seating is first-come, first-served.

Celebrate this important holiday by delving deep into Black history at Green-Wood Cemetery. This free event on Saturday, June 15 will include family-friendly tours and art activities.

Take a self-guided tour of the gravesites of fascinating Black historical figures. Maps and biographies of featured burial sites will be available upon entry, and the cemetery's trolley will be available for riders. 

If you've attended before, it's worth coming back, as this year's event highlights several new historical figures.

Green-Wood is also hosting a Juneteenth Trolley Tour on June 1 for $30/person; details here.

At this hilarious and educational show, comedian Brandon Collins and special guest co-host Electra Telesford lead a booze-fueled lesson in Black history with the help of their friends. The Juneteenth edition features appearances from Jackie Summers, Chinisha Scott, and Akeem Woods. 

It’s not your ordinary retelling—you’ll hear from "comedians, experts, writers, and other professionals who are skunked out of their mind trying to recap the biography of a historical black figure or event that hasn't gotten the mainstream love they deserved." See this always unpredictable show at Littlefield in Brooklyn on Wednesday, June 19. It's sponsored by Equiano Rum and Sorel Liqueur.

Celebrate Juneteenth with the self-proclaimed "BEST AND BLACKEST" improv team, My Momma's Biscuits, as they host the "loudest party of the year." On Wednesday, June 19 at 8:30pm at UCB Theatre (242 East 14th Street), funny folks like Jeanell Allen, Justin Catchens, AJ Dunk, Mariel Grullon, Jessica Henderson, Elliott Kelly, Aaron LaRoche and Mike Poole will interview a random audience member about a memorable party they've attended in the past, and then completely recreate the raucous bash live on stage.

Expect drama, as organizers say, because "as you know, wherever there are biscuits, there’s tea to be spilled!"

Revelers of all ages are welcome to celebrate Juneteenth at the Children's Museum of Manhattan, with a full day of interactive art projects in celebration of Black liberation, resilience, and joy held on Wednesday, June 19.

From 10am to 12:45pm on the museum's first floor, you can participate in the Free To Be Me Mural, a community mural inspired by painters like Derrick Adams, Kerry James Marshall, and Amy Sherald. Then stick around from 2pm to 3:45pm to hear the story I am Harriet Tubman (Ordinary People Change the World) by Brad Meltzer and create a lantern suncatcher–a symbol of hope, strength, and generosity–to represent Harriet Tubman’s impact on American history.

This Juneteenth, visitors are invited to join artist educators at Manhattan's Museum of Art and Design to activate communal art installations in the exhibit Sonya Clark: We Are Each Other. 

Along with a selection of photographs, prints, and sculpture from the mixed-media artist—who incorporates everyday objects like human hair, cotton cloth and school desks to prompt necessary discussions of race, freedom and equality—the exhibition features five of Clark’s large-scale, collaborative projects, including Beaded Prayers Project and Reconstruction Exercise. The exhibit will run through September 22nd. 

Digital art and poetry have combined for a dive into Afrocentricity and Afrofuturism at this new immersive exhibit in Chelsea. "Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies" at ARTECHOUSE runs all summer, and you can see it for free on Wednesday, June 19.

In addition to exploring the incredible artwork, which promises a "vibrant reflection upon the past, present, and future of the Black experience," the Juneteenth celebration also includes special activities. While you're there, enjoy a Sorrel Punch cocktail, inspired by the tradition of celebrating with red food and drinks on Juneteenth, made with hibiscus and chai from West Africa.

Be sure to register in advance here.

Brooklyn Museum is going all out for the occassion with Saddles and Soul: A Juneteenth Black Western Celebration. The event on Saturday, June 15, examines the legacy of Juneteenth as a Texas holiday and the long history of Black Western culture. The event brings together Black performers, artists, and Black-owned businesses in celebration of Black liberation, creativity, and community.

Activities include line dancing led by Wildcat Ebony Brown; portraits taken by Brooklyn-based collective Souls in Focus; and an upcycled denim customization station with Hansel Clothing. Local vendors East Flatbush’s vegan eatery Aunts et Uncles and Brooklyn Sweet Spot will serve up delicious bites.

Most activities are included with museum admission.

You can set your watch by how reliably awesome the annual BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is. All summer long, BRIC shows take place at the beautiful bandshell in Prospect Park, a scenic amphitheater surrounded by trees.

In celebration of Juneteenth on June 19, BRIC will host UNITYFEST 2024 featuring DJ Spinna, DJ Merlin Bobb, and Monique Bingham.

Head to Seneca Village this Juneteenth weekend for a family-friendly celebration with musical presentations, hands-on activities, archaeological insights, and opportunities to engage with conservancy guides.

This event (12am on Sunday, June 15) offers an opportunity to not only consider the origins and meaning of this day, but to reflect on Seneca Village, a predominately African-American community that existed before New York City created Central Park and long before we celebrated Juneteenth. Visitors are encouraged to imagine how Seneca Village’s residents might have utilized this land to cultivate wellbeing.

The annual Juneteenth in Queens festival is dedicated to honoring Black culture and creation. The event features a Black-owned marketplace, food, seminars, live music and an art display that centers on a rich legacy of African Americans.

Activities are held at Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans. It's free to attend the event on Wednesday, June 19.

For a fifth consecutive year, Carnegie Hall honors Juneteenth with a free celebration event in association with the Healing of the Nations Foundation. Held on Wednesday, June 19 at 7pm in the Stern Auditorium, this special evening recognizes the historic day of freedom with a powerful program of commentary and performance celebrating justice, peace, and love.

Reverend Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr. hosts the evening's events. Among those taking the stage are Broadway star Norm Lewis as the Master of Ceremonies and guest artists including Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Gregory Porter, acclaimed composer-conductor Damien Sneed, visionary actor-singer Daniel Beaty and more.

To celebrate Juneteenth, Blacklist NYC—a group that creates community "through elevated social experiences"—will host a special Buy Black Marketplace at Pier 57's Living Room space in Chelsea on Saturday, June 15. From 1pm to 6pm, the recreational center at 25 Eleventh Ave. will welcome a variety of artists, vendors, and makers to sell their wares at a pop-up market, with the goal of supporting and elevating creators and entrepreneurs of color in New York City. Stock up on cool jewelry, art prints, small-batch beverages, sweet treats and more.

Though free to attend, you can RSVP at the Blacklist NYC website.

Learn about the surprising intersection of African American and Irish history through North Star, an immersive live music event held at The Dead Rabbit (30 Water Street) on Wednesday, June 19.

Inspired by social reformer, abolitionist, orator, and writer Frederick Douglass and his visit to Belfast in 1845, the two-part event will feature live performances from singer Winnie Ama in bar's Taproom Extension from 4pm, while The Occasional Room will play host to a specially commissioned playlist of tracks inspired by Douglass’ love of the violin and conversation exploring African American and Irish culture starting at 7pm. The special evening is free to attend, but you can reserve your spot over on Eventbrite. 

As part of their mission to inject diversity and inclusion into opera while making the often-stuffy genre accessible to audiences of all ages, On Site Opera will host a special free concert performance on Wednesday, June 19 at West Side Community Garden. Curated by Grammy-winning singer Kenneth Overton in honor of Juneteenth, the concert will feature excerpts from operatic works by Black composers and librettists, spotlighting their significant contributions to the genre, with compositions by Scott Joplin and William Grant Still, along with librettist Langston Hughes.

“With the garden at peak bloom, we are excited to invite the community back to enjoy these evenings of opera for all ages and welcome summer in New York City,” says Piper Gunnarson, On Site Opera’s General Director and CEO. “This season’s lineup reflects our commitment to diverse storytelling and engaging audiences of all ages and backgrounds,” she adds.

DickAppointment’s quarterly residency at Nowadays in Brooklyn shines light on other Black queer collectives across NYC. For their Juneteenth celebration this year, DickAppointment comes together with Global Warming and MECCA NYC to bring an evening of Black joy and celebration that will include Global Warming, a queer and trans-centered space founded by DJ’s Boston Chery & ADAIR, and hosted by Issa Trae.

MECCA NYC is founded by fashion stylists and creatives Milton Dixon and Marion Kelly. Alongside DA residents Kenni Javon and PINKYY, these three collectives will share the Nowadays stage for a sexy queer and trans-centered Juneteenth celebration. The event's on Thursday, June 20.

For more than 30 years, the Tenement Museum shared stories about the people who once lived in the building it now owns. But that meant that some groups—particularly Black New Yorkers—were excluded, as there's no record of a Black family living in the apartment building at 97 Orchard Street. 

Now, with an aim to explore the full breadth of immigrant and migrant experiences, the Lower East Side museum is highlighting the stories of a Black family for the first time with a new tour titled "A Union of Hope: 1869." The exhibition tells the story of the Moore family who lived in Soho during and after the Civil War. Reserve tickets here for $30/person.

The museum will also host the "Reclaiming Black Spaces" Walking Tour throughout the summer, which will explore the stories of Black New Yorkers and their resonant impact on local communities.

To commemorate both Juneteenth and summertime, the DL Rooftop is launching its new day-party concept, Paradise Sunset. On Sunday, June 16 from 3-10pm, the nightclub-slash-lounge at 95 Delancey Street will pump up the vacation vibes with a night of Afrobeats, Amapiano, Afro house, R&B and more.

Chase the dreaded Sunday Scaries away with music from the likes of Wemi, DJ Mohogany, Citizen B, Khalil, Yung Aphrika, Deejay TK, DJ Kenz and Young Prince. If you want to reserve a table with your pals (including bottle service and VIP admission), check out the party's Eventbrite listing.

Last year, it was a celebration of Black fashion with the boutique Granru. For Juneteenth 2024, Greenlight Bookstore is continuing to champion Black-owned businesses by spotlighting Legacy Lit, a Black-led publishing imprint dedicated to giving voice to underrepresented issues and underserved communities.

The event will feature brief readings by authors including Jonathan Conyers, Antonia Hylton, Eddie Ndopu, Courtney Roker Laga, and Eboni K. Williams. Courtney Roker Laga will serve Juneteenth-inspired crudites from her book Al Roker's Recipes to Live by: Easy, Memory-Making Family Dishes for Every Occasion; additional snacks and drinks from Brooklyn businesseslike Jaylee's Treats and Happy Cork will be served. A portion of proceeds from all featured books at the event will be donated to the Free Black Women's Library.