As the Black Lives Matter movement marches on, more communities are celebrating Juneteenth. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865 — the day, nearly two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, when Union Gen. Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, proclaiming all enslaved people free. The holiday has been celebrated in Texas since 1866 and is being embraced in other communities around the country, and on Thursday, President Joe Biden signed a bill to make Juneteenth an official federal holiday. Here are a few ways you can celebrate it in Michigan on Saturday, June 19.
Juneteenth Jubilee on the Historic Avenue of Fashion
This shopping experience supports Black businesses on Detroit's historic Avenue of Fashion, with each participating business providing a discount for registered shoppers. In addition, the stroll includes a live podcast, raffles, health and wellness resources, and more. Proceeds will go to the Juneteenth Jubilee Detroit educational initiatives and Black-owned partner organizations.
Runs from noon-6 p.m.; 19954 Livernois Ave., Detroit; eventbrite.com. General stroll tickets are free with registration at Eventbrite; VIP stroll tickets are $15 in advance.
Juneteenth Mobility Stroll & Roll
To celebrate the hard-fought access to mobility through society, the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority's Juneteenth event will highlight the different ways people move. Expect to see revelers head down Michigan Avenue on bikes, motorcycles, Vespas, skateboards, scooters, and more. A kickoff program with speakers, music, and pre-march stretching exercises will begin at 9 a.m., and the Roll & Stroll will commence at 10 a.m.
Runs from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Old City Hall Park 13615 Michigan Ave, Dearborn; downtowndearborn.org; 313-943-3141. Event is free.
Juneteenth in the D
Eat, play, listen, envision, and learn at this festival and concert experience celebrating Blackness and talent in Detroit.
Runs from noon-10:30 p.m.; 6559 Grand River Ave., Detroit; eventbrite.com. Tickets are $5-$20.
Juneteenth Family Reunion
Families are invited to a day of games, live entertainment, activities, music, and an array of Black vendors and food trucks. Kids and seniors eat free.
Runs from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Catalpa Oaks Park; 27705 Greenfield Rd., Southfield; 248-424-7081; juneteenthfamreunion.org/about. Admission is free.
Juneteenth in Detroit Festival
Families are welcome to enjoy food, music, games, contests, a lip-sync battle, and more. Blankets and chairs are recommended, and the event is free, with fees for some activities.
Event times TBA; Maheras Gentry Park; 12550 Avondale St., Detroit; metroparent.com/events/juneteenth-in-detroit-festival-at-maheras-gentry-park.
'Miss Juneteenth' Movie Night
Southfield's municipal complex will host an outdoor screening of the critically acclaimed 2020 film Miss Juneteenth on the front lawn. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, snacks, and beverages. The event costs $10 per carload; advance purchase recommended.
Runs from 7-9 p.m.; Southfield Municipal Complex 26000 Evergreen Rd., Southfield; anc.apm.activecommunities.com.
Juneteenth Painting with Darts
Pop paint-filled balloons with darts at Lafayette Lofts to create your own abstract street art in celebration of Juneteenth. Goggles, shoe coverings, and a gown will be provided, along with unlimited barbecue, a live DJ, and drinks for the adults.
Event runs from 3-6 p.m.; Lafayette Lofts 1301 W. Lafayette Blvd. #114, Detroit; eventbrite.com. Admission is $45.
Unity in the Community: A Juneteenth Celebration
Lathrup Village's first-ever Juneteenth celebration will include entertainment, music, a panel discussion with community leaders, food trucks, and a bounce house and obstacle course for the kids. Registration is required.
Event runs from 4-8 p.m.; Lathrup Village Parks and Recreation Department; 27400 Southfield Rd., Lathrup Village; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.
We Found Hip-Hop Juneteenth Celebration
Activist, photographer (Vogue France, Elle Britain, The New York Times), and founder of We Found HipHop, Detroit's Piper Carter will host this female-led Juneteenth celebration with music by DJ LOVEBEAM and Aisha Ellis.Event runs from 6-11 p.m.; Beacon Park, 1903 Grand River Ave., Detroit; empoweringmichigan.com/beacon-park. Event is free.
Buy Black Juneteenth Pop-Up Shop
This pop-up shop event will feature local Black-owned fashion brands in the Washtenaw County area.
Event runs from 3-7 p.m.; Ypsilanti Freighthouse; 100 Market Pl., Ypsilanti; eventbrite.com. Event is free.
'From Whence We Came' Exhibit Grand Opening and Book Release
The Port Huron Museum will showcase the grand opening of the exhibit "From Whence We Came: Black History in the Blue Water Area," and will also sell 100 copies of a reprint of the book that inspired the exhibit. There will be live entertainment, and the museum will work with the St. Clair County Health Department to offer Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines for those 18 and over. Masks must be worn indoors.
Event runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Port Huron Museum Carnegie Center; 1115 Sixth St., Port Huron; 810-982-0891; allevents.in; Donations appreciated.
Flint Juneteenth Freedom Festival
All are welcome to this community event with live entertainment, games, giveaways, food, and vendors.
Event runs from 4-8 p.m.; Brush Park, 120 E. 1st St., Flint; flintjuneteenth.com/events. Event is free.
Flint Juneteenth Parade and Festival
Flint's citywide Juneteenth celebration includes a parade from City Hall to Berston Field House. There will be educational exhibits, food, bounce houses, and fun for all.
The parade is from noon-2 p.m., the festival at Berston Field House from 2-6 p.m.; City Hall is located at 101 Saginaw St., Flint; Berston Field House is at 3300 Saginaw St., Flint; exploreflintandgenesee.org.
Black Buckham Juneteenth Festival
Presented by Comma Bookstore, this celebration supports Black businesses in Flint.
Event runs from 1-9 p.m.; Buckham Alley (between Beach and Saginaw Streets), Flint; 810-768-3128; exploreflintandgenesse.org. Event is free.
Emagine Entertainment Juneteenth Film Festival
This second annual month-long film festival benefits the UNCF (United Negro College Fund). The film festival begins Friday, June 4 with a different set of films each week. Week of June 4: Harriet, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Moonlight; June 11: Judas and the Black Messiah, One Night in Miami, If Beale Street Could Talk. June 18: Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse; Get Out; Ray; June 25: MLK/FBI, Whose Streets?, Just Mercy.
See website for full schedule; Emagine Royal Oak; 200 N. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-414-1000; emagine-entertainment.com. Tickets are $5.
Madison Heights First Juneteenth Celebration
Madison Heights will host its first-ever Juneteenth celebration with live music, food trucks, vendor booths, children's activities, a petting zoo, rib-cooking competition, art contest, a mobile COVID-19 vaccine site, and an educational exhibit explaining the history of Juneteenth. The event kicks off with a 30-minute program outside of city hall with remarks from Mayor Roslyn Grafstein.
From noon-5 p.m.; Civic Center Park, 360 W. 13 Mile Rd., Madison Heights; 248-589-2294; madisonheightsjuneteenth.com. Donations appreciated.
The Cookout!
A special celebration of Black culture, cuisine, and history. This indoor/outdoor events will feature food trucks, jumbo games, bounce houses, carnival games, and more.
Time TBA; The Eastern, 3434 Russell St., Detroit; 313-914-1104; theeasterndetroit.com. Tickets are $30 or $400 for a table with a bottle of Siempre Tequila and four tickets.
Juneteenth Liberation Celebration and Free Brake Light Clinic
Michigan Liberation will be hosting a brake light clinic, replacing broken brake lights for the public free of charge. COVID-19 mask protocols and social distancing will be enforced.
From 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Belmont Shopping Center, 1900 E. Eight Mile Rd., Detroit; facebook.com/events; event is free.
Juneteenth March and Teach-In
Detroit Will Breathe welcomes the community to join in a Juneteenth march. The organization will also lead a discussion on the dispossession of Black Detroit, addressing a variety of topics including Detroit Public Schools and the city’s emergency management.
Event runs from noon-4 p.m.; Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers Rd., Detroit.
Juneteenth Night Market
Beacon Park’s Night Market will celebrate Juneteenth while showcasing local Detroit vendors as well as live music.
Runs from 6-11 p.m.; Beacon Park, 1901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; admission is free.
Juneteenth Black Liberation Summit
Michigan United’s African-American Leadership Council presents the Juneteenth Black Liberation Summit. The two-day event kicks off June 18 with a virtual town hall covering topics like reparations, voter suppression, and public safety. The summit will conclude with a Juneteenth cookout that will include food, games, music, and more. The National Guard will be on-site providing COVID-19 vaccinations and testing.
Town Hall begins at 9 a.m., June 18; to register: mobilize.us/mipeoplecampaign/event/375600. Juneteenth Cookout begins at noon on Saturday, June 19; Inkster Park, 1550 John Daly St., Inkster. Admission is free.
A Juneteenth Commemoration: Lift Every Voice
The Charles H. Wright Museum and PBS Books will be hosting a virtual streaming of the film Lift Every Voice. The film is a project presented by Blk Freedom Collective, a national conglomerate of Black museums and historical institutions. The video will be streamed on the websites of the Charles H. Wright Museum and PBS Books, and on Facebook Live.
Screening begins at 8 p.m.
Juneteenth Jubilee
The Kinfolk Group and the Westbank company teamed up to host the Juneteenth Jubilee. The event begins with a family fun day that includes games, competitions, and ends with a cookout.
Runs from 1-6 p.m.; allevents.in; Samaritan Center, 5555 Conner Street., Detroit; Admission is free.
Metro Times intern Jessica Kwon contributed to this report.
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