Seven free Juneteenth celebrations planned this weekend in Palm Beach County

Giuseppe Sabella, Palm Beach Post
Updated ·6 min read

Monday is a celebration of America’s second Independence Day, or Juneteenth, as it's commonly known. Local residents are marking the occasion with events throughout Palm Beach County, including several during the weekend.

The holiday, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day or Black Independence Day, honors the emancipation of 250,000 slaves in Texas. At the time, President Abraham Lincoln had already signed the Emancipation Proclamation and freed slaves in other Confederate territories more than two years prior, but his order only held weight in areas with military enforcement.

On June 5, 1865, a brigade of the 25th Army Corps — an all-Black unit of the Union Army — captured Galveston, Texas. More than 1,000 African-descendant soldiers freed slaves and chased the opposition into Mexico, according to the Library of Congress.

Chase Reed, 8, paints during the NFBPA South Florida Juneteenth Paint and Reflection held at Intracoastal Park in Boynton Beach Monday, June 20, 2022. The event was presented by the National Forum for Black Public Administrators & National Black MBA Association and featured food and painting activities that included a 16-by-20-inch canvas with an outline of the picture, easel, paint brushes, paint and two hours of instruction.

Soon afterward, on June 19, 1865, Gen. Gordon Granger marched thousands of his own Union soldiers into Galveston to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation throughout the state — a day we now know as Juneteenth. It was a pivotal moment, though slavery still existed in a handful of states before the U.S. ratified the 13th Amendment about half a year later.

The first attempt to make Juneteenth a federal holiday dates to at least 1994, but it wasn’t until 2021, after the murder of George Floyd and renewed calls for racial equality in America, that President Joe Biden signed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday.

“On Juneteenth, we remember our extraordinary capacity to heal, to hope and to emerge from our worst moments as a stronger, freer, and more just Nation," Biden said last year.

Here are the events honoring Juneteenth in Palm Beach County, including four on Saturday and three on Monday:

West Palm Beach: Dancing and storytelling at Norton Museum of Art

Go and enjoy the Norton Museum of Art’s Juneteenth Community Day celebration this Saturday, including a special Umfundalai (African) dance workshop led by Ericka Squire (pictured here) of Natural Movers Foundation.
Go and enjoy the Norton Museum of Art’s Juneteenth Community Day celebration this Saturday, including a special Umfundalai (African) dance workshop led by Ericka Squire (pictured here) of Natural Movers Foundation.

The Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S. Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, will host a free Juneteenth Community Day from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Here's what to expect:

  • Live musical performances and dancing.

  • Gallery talks on art by African American artists.

  • Storytelling and art-making activities.

For more information, visit www.norton.org, click on "See Full Calendar" and navigate to the "Juneteenth Community Day" event.

West Palm Beach: Activities for children and adults at The Square

Pranati "Pranoo" Kumar Skomra in Rohi's Readery, her children's bookstore in CityPlace aimed at promoting literacy, diversity and inclusion, Thursday, June 17, 2021.
Pranati "Pranoo" Kumar Skomra in Rohi's Readery, her children's bookstore in CityPlace aimed at promoting literacy, diversity and inclusion, Thursday, June 17, 2021.

The Square and Rohi's Readery are hosting a free event called "Juneteenth: Freedom Through Joy" on Saturday.

The event is scheduled from 4:15 to 8 p.m. at The Square, 700 S. Rosemary Ave. in West Palm Beach. Here's what to expect:

  • African music dance session for all ages.

  • Juneteenth storytime and activity for all ages.

  • Spirit walk and ancestral connection for adults.

  • Culture and cooking class for adults.

  • "Black Joy and the History of Juneteenth," a conversation for adults.

Saturday's event also celebrates the two-year anniversary of Rohi's Readery, which bills itself as a "social justice driven children's bookstore and learning center dedicated to critical literacy that promotes inclusivity and diversity."

For more information about the event and the schedule of activities, visit thesquarewestpalm.com/west-palm-beach-events/juneteenth-celebration.

West Palm Beach: Food, games, performances at Meyer Amphitheatre

Juneteenth of Palm Beach County Inc. is holding its Third Annual Unity x Black Excellence Festival on Saturday afternoon, and the free tickets are growing scarce.

The event is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Meyer Amphitheater, 104 Datura St. in West Palm Beach. Here's what to expect:

  • Music and live performances.

  • Food and games.

  • Local, Black-owned businesses.

  • Community resources.

Keep an eye on the organization's social media at www.facebook.com/JuneteenthPBC for more details and ticket updates. According to a recent post, the first round of free tickets are sold out on eventbrite.com, but another round will open at 7 a.m. Saturday.

Delray Beach: A poolside fashion show

Delray Beach is hosting a poolside fashion show on Saturday evening to celebrate Juneteenth. The ticketed event will take place at Pompey Park Pool, 1101 NW Second St., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and the show beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets for "A Splash of Excellence" are $20 in advance and $30 at the door. Visit www.delraybeachfl.gov and contact Gerard Smith at 561-243-7356 or smithg@mydelraybeach.com for more information.

Boynton Beach: Food trucks, community resources and family-friendly activities

The city of Boynton Beach is recognizing Juneteenth as a formal, paid holiday for the first time after commissioners voted in favor of the move last year. Most city facilities will close and the city will host a family-friendly celebration.

Experience Boynton Beach’s Juneteenth Festival this Monday afternoon at Sara Sims Park, which will feature a performance by the Valerie Tyson Band (shown here).
Experience Boynton Beach’s Juneteenth Festival this Monday afternoon at Sara Sims Park, which will feature a performance by the Valerie Tyson Band (shown here).

Monday's free event is scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. at Sara Sims Park, 209 NE Ninth Ave., in the Heart of Boynton. Here's what to expect:

  • Food trucks, along with a "Who's Bad" BBQ competition.

  • Nonstop music by the Valerie Tyson Band and the J-Sharp Band.

  • Games, Legos, face painting and other activities for children.

  • Local businesses and organizations, including CarePlus Health Plans, Boynton Beach Police, G3:21 Apparel, Palm Beach PACE, St. John Missionary Baptist Church, Coalition of 100 Black Women and Total Body Fitness with Rosa.

For more information, visit www.boynton-beach.org/juneteenth.

Lake Worth Beach: Inaugural music and art festival

Synergy Camp Inc. is holding the first-ever Heart of The Arts Juneteenth Music and Arts Festival in Lake Worth Beach on Monday. The free event is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 15 S. J St.

Here's what to expect:

  • A marketplace featuring art and other items that celebrate African-American culture.

  • Multicultural cuisine.

  • Performances by hip-hop duo HueyHampton, Grammy-nominated musician Ray "Quasi" Nelson, and Alkebulan Music Philosophy, an African drumming group, among others.

Synergy Camp Inc. planned the event in partnership with Rudy's Pub, Healthier Lake Worth Beach, Flamingo Clay Studio, The Bamboo Room and Arms of Hope.

For more information, visit heartoftheartsfestival.eventbrite.com.

Wellington: Poetry, fashion and battle of the bands

The Sickle Cell Foundation of Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast Inc. are hosting their annual "Redteenth" Freedom Day Cultural Festival — honoring Juneteenth and World Sickle Cell Day — on Monday.

The free event is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater, 12100 Forest Hill Boulevard. Here's what to expect:

  • Live music, including a "battle of the bands" showdown.

  • Food trucks and and other vendors.

  • A fashion show.

  • Entertainment, including spoken-word poetry.

Visit www.sicklecellpbc.org for more information.

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Giuseppe Sabella is a reporter covering Boynton Beach and Lake Worth Beach at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at gsabella@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism and subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: What is Juneteenth? Celebrations planned throughout Palm Beach County