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Ten Events Showcase Juneteenth Celebrations in Houston

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Houston, one of the nation’s largest cities and located about two hours from Galveston, the birthplace of Juneteenth, has a large black population and a variety of events to celebrate Juneteenth. Here are ten such events, ranging from traditional celebrations to florist collaborations and exploring how Juneteenth intersects with technology.

Juneteenth, one of the most recognized celebrations of Black freedom in the country, is celebrated by those who wish to remember it in myriad ways. Juneteenth celebrations in Houston are just as large and varied as the city they call home, with something everyone can enjoy.

Although Juneteenth originated in Galveston, Houston’s Emancipation Park has long been a focal point for celebrations. Established in 1872 by four former slaves, including Reverend Jack Yates, Emancipation Park is the oldest park in Houston and the state of Texas. During the Jim Crow era, it was the only public park accessible to Houston’s black population. Today, it remains a central location for Juneteenth celebrations for Houstonians across the Third Ward and beyond.

As part of its programming through June 19, the Emancipation Park Conservancy, which manages the park, is hosting several events, culminating with Juneteenth Family Fun Day on June 19. The event, sponsored by HEB, the Houston Texans, Microsoft and other corporate sponsors, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include a vendor market, food trucks, a live DJ and a mobile game trailer.

In addition to Emancipation Park, there are several other organizations and events celebrating Juneteenth. On June 15, BLCK Market, a collective that aims to highlight Black-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs, will begin its multi-day Juneteenth celebration. The celebration will take place June 15-18 and will include live music, soul food, barbecue, vendor booths and an art gallery.

Houston’s famous Axelrad Beer Garden will be the scene of a different kind of Juneteenth celebration. On June 19, Beck&Call Hospitality and Barbie collector Taylor Brione will host a screening of the documentary “Black Barbie,” which debuts on Netflix on June 19. The event, titled Juneteenth Cinema Night, promises an evening of thought-provoking conversations about identity, beauty standards and positive representation in media and the toy industry.

The Descendants of Olivewood Cemetery will host a Juneteenth Memorial Garden, as part of Olivewood’s Juneteenth Celebration, on June 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The ceremony is intended to remember and honor early contributors of the black community of Houston. The Juneteenth Garden of Memorial is also intended to mark June 19, 1865, the date enslaved people in Texas were informed of their emancipation from slavery. The event was organized by Paul Jennings and a co-founder of the Descendants of Olivewood Cemetery, Margott Williams.

On June 15, there will be a Historic Black Houston Bus Tour, which will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and has received funding from Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Harris County Precinct 1.

Also on June 15, Generation Park will host its second annual seventeenth anniversary celebration, officially titled Lake Houston’s Juneteenth Celebration at Generation Park. The event commemorates the end of slavery in Texas through a variety of activities. From 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., participants will be treated to live music, dance performances, artistic, historical and cultural activities. Event organizers want the day to celebrate freedom and resilience while raising awareness of the rich heritage and history of Black people.

On June 15, the Heritage Society will present its third annual Juneteenth program, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

AM as the June 19 Freedmen’s Town Bike Riders pass by the Yates House for a unique photo op outside of Jack Yates’ house, which has been moved to Sam Houston Park. The history of Texas’ black cowboys, which will be presented through two presentations by black cowboy Harold Cash and Black Cowboy Museum director Larry Callies, looms large in the Heritage Society’s presentation of Juneteenth. Martha Whiting-Goddard, Jack Yates’ great-granddaughter, will also discuss her family’s history and what it was like growing up in the Yates House. The event is designed to culminate in an optional tour, the “Plantation to Emancipation Tour.”

On June 18, Ion District, Microsoft, Blacks at Microsoft, along with the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum and the Emancipation Park Conservancy will present Juneteenth Journey: Bridging Past & Present Through Technology, an event that will examine Juneteenth and the evolution of technology. The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and, in addition to guest speakers from the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum and the Emancipation Park Conservancy, will feature Juneteenth trivia, prizes and giveaways. The event is sponsored by Microsoft, ExxonMobil, United Airlines and BP.

June 19, the eighteenth Big Black Beach Day

will take place in Sunny Beach, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Organizers describe it as a day of joy, unity and cultural pride and there will be music, food, games and activities aimed to celebrate the spirit of June 19. They also ask those who come to bring either a dish or items to contribute to the community gathering.

Finally, on June 19, Rado Market and florist Joanne Townsend of Design + Revive will host a June Eighteenth Birthday Floral Wreath Workshop, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event will highlight the importance of flowers for the seventeenth birthday celebrations as participants will create floral crowns, celebrate freedom, take photos in a photo booth, shop from local vendors and enjoy refreshments provided by the Rado Market.

RELATED CONTENT: West Virginia makes Juneteenth a state holiday

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