While this year’s Juneteenth will look a little different than previous years, with the Indy Juneteenth parade being cancelled due to being unable to secure a location, there’s still plenty to look forward to.
Expect markets, concerts, poetry, food festivals, boxing, pageants and storytelling events.
Juneteenth has been a part of American history since 1865, when it was celebrated on June 19 as the official end of slavery in our country. While slavery was abolished in 1863, over 250,000 Black Americans were still enslaved in Texas until June 19, 1865, when they were finally emancipated.
Juneteenth Jamboree
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 7
📍 Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, 3000 N. Meridian St.
🎟️ Free
Take your little ones to the Children’s Museum for an early introduction into what Juneteenth is all about. They’ll meet local artists, performers and members from community organizations, while getting to experience the museum.
Juneteenth at the Global Village
🗓️ June 7-26
📍 Indy’s Global Village at International Marketplace, 4233 Lafayette Road
🎟️ Free
Interested in learning more about the history of Juneteenth? Indianapolis’ Global Village Welcome Center will walk you through a timeline of events, from the Transatlantic Slave Trade during the 16th to the 19th centuries to the Black Lives Matters movements a few years ago. There’s a celebration from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 14.
Miss Indy Juneteenth Pageant
🗓️ 6 p.m. (with cocktail hour 5-6 p.m.) Saturday, June 7
📍 The Athenaeum’s Basile Theatre, 401 E. Michigan St.
🎟️ $20
Cheer on a contestant and support Indy Juneteenth at an evening celebrating Black beauty, Black brilliance and Black tradition in a way that uplifts the voices and stories of young women in Indy.
Indy Juneteenth College and Career Innovation Conference
🗓️ 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12
📍 Central Libary, 40 E St. Clair St.
🎟️ Free
Whether your dream is helping to manage the Pacers or pursuing a degree at Marian University, this is the place and time to get started. The event pairs students with mentors — businesses, universities, entrepreneurs and even investors. The event also features a guest speaker and food.
Juneteenth Foodways Festival
🗓️ 4:30-8 p.m. Friday, June 13
📍 Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, 1230 N. Delaware St.
🎟️ Free
The Juneteenth Foodways Festival is back for a fourth year, celebrating the legacy of the White House’s first Black chef and caterer, Dolly Johnson of Lexington, Ky., and featuring over 20 vendors.
Whether you’re craving a bit of Sweet Heat or hoping to cool off with a sip of iced tea from Tea’s Me Cafe or a scoop of your favorite flavor from LiftOff Creamery, it’s got it all.
Juneteenth in Indianapolis: A Cultural Reckoning and Celebration
🗓️ Noon to 5 p.m. Thursday, June 19
📍 Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, 543 Indiana Ave. and Crispus Attucks Museum, 1140 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St.
🎟️ Free, but you can donate.
The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library packed the day of Juneteenth full of celebrations. At noon, you can watch the film “The Tuskegee Airmen,” about Black members of the Air Force that served in World War II. At 3:30 p.m., percussionist Carrington Clinton will lead a community drum circle. The evening will end at 5 p.m. at the Crispus Attucks Museum with a panel discussion about journalism in America and the unveiling of a new exhibit on the history of Black resistance.
Juneteenth and Jazz at the Eiteljorg Museum
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 15
📍 Eiteljorg Museum, 500 W. Washington St.
🎟️ Free
Hear a poetry reading by award-winning author and educator Shonda Buchanan, bop to the beat of the SITEAW Drum Circle and enjoy storytelling by jus Will.
Black Resilience in Indiana: Building on the Heritage of Survival
🗓️ 6-8 p.m.Thursday, June 19
📍 Indiana Landmarks Center, 1201 Central Ave.
🎟️ Free
Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program presents an in-depth exploration of Black resilience: the extraordinary ability of African Americans to overcome astounding challenges, finding joy and the power to effect positive change in their lives, families and communities.
Dr. Lasana D. Kazembe, award-winning poet, educator and critical Black scholar will be the keynote speaker, followed by a panel discussion on spiritual, mental, emotional and financial resilience.
Juneteenth 5K on the Canal
🗓️ 8 a.m. Thursday, June 19
📍 Colts Canal Playspace, 701 Canal Walk
🎟️ $30 to register, $50 with a T-shirt
Walk along the Canal for Black Rights at the Juneteenth 5K. Proceeds from the event will fund a scholarship to help a first-year Black male educator furnish and equip his classroom with supplies for next school year.
Juneteenth Block Party
🗓️ 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, June 19
📍Ujamaa Community Bookstore, 2424 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St.
🎟️ Free
Celebrate Black food, literature, music and art — all in the spirit of Ujamaa’s aim to uplift Black authors while sharing the stories, struggles and successes of the African diaspora.
Indy Juneteenth Celebration
🗓️ Noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 21
📍 Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St., south lot
🎟️ Free
A month of events culminate in the city’s largest Juneteenth celebration with a wellness circle, a sip and paint event, over 30 food vendors and over 100 small business vendors. The celebration will be packed with live performances and awards.
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Inside, you’ll find celebrations for Pride, Juneteenth and more summer festivals.
Lavanya Narayanan is a Mirror Indy freelance contributor. You can reach her at lavanya24narayanan@gmail.com.
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