11 Juneteenth events all over Brooklyn—and all weekend long

By Brooklyn Magazine Staff

Juneteenth arrives this year just as the borough is coming back to life. And there will be no shortage of events this weekend to commemorate the date that news of President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation finally reached the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas—more than two years later.

First celebrated the following June 19 in Texas, the day has been commemorated nationally, with varying degrees of officialness, for more than a century and a half. This year Juneteenth falls on a Saturday, but expect celebrations to last all weekend.

Here are 11 events to check out in Brooklyn.

Honoring Juneteenth
At 11a.m. on Saturday, the Brooklyn Museum will host music and remarks by local community members on the front steps, followed by a daylong bike tour of Brooklyn, led by Good Company Bike Club. Cyclists will travel through “historic Brooklyn locations and landmarks relevant to the Black community, including stops at Black-owned restaurants to rest and replenish.” Later, between 6 and 8 p.m there will be live music at the museum’s steps and food will be provided Black Chef Movement. Meditating for Black Lives will host a session of mindfulness and meditation as the sun sets. All events are free of charge.

Opening of the ‘Brooklyn Resists‘ exhibition at the Center for Brooklyn History
The Center for Brooklyn History, at the corner of Clinton and Pierrepont Streets, is opening a new outdoor exhibit that “proves that while racism persists, Brooklynites resist.” The opening ceremony takes place from 3 to 5 p.m and features remarks from New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda Johnson, and historian Dr. Brian Purnell.

Drunk Black History
Drunk Black History is a show designed to give prominent Black historical figures their deserved time in the limelight—while being both educational and hammered. Hosted by comedians Brandon Collins and Gordon Baker-Bone at The Bell House on 149 7th Street at 8:30 p.m on Saturday, the show also features comedians Brittany Carney, Marie Faustin, and the Lucas Brothers. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 the day of.

FREEFEST 2021
A Juneteenth festival celebrating Black creatives and community builders, will be held at Domino Park on Saturday. Organized by production company ffflypaper, FREEFEST programming will include a live marching band to a voter rights fair, roller skating and opera performances. 4 to 10 p.m.

Rebirthing the Roots of Entrepreneurial Excellence Juneteenth three-day festival
The 12th Annual Juneteenth NYC Festival is a three-day event starting with an online mind, body, and soul workshop from 9 a.m to 6 p.m on Friday, June 18. Saturday is a Juneteenth celebration at Herbert Von King Park, from 9 a.m to 6 p.m and is billed as, “a vibrant day of rich culture through music, dance, poetry, skits, history, vendors, and families.” Sunday’s activities are all about highlighting youth entrepreneurs with a “Youth Pomp” festival at Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration on 1368 Fulton Street from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. Saturday’s and Sunday’s activities are available both in-person and online and are fully free to register.

Brooklyn Public Library Juneteenth events at Macon Library
The Macon Library branch of the Brooklyn Public Library is hosting several family-oriented events from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m Saturday, starting with storytelling with April Armstrong. At 1 p.m will be a conversation with Sheena Daree Miller, an African American Heritage Center Associate and the artist who imagined and created the winning design of the new Black American Library Card. Patrons can then design their own library cards with artist Sharon Brown. The day concludes with Kundalini Yoga from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

‘What it Feels Like’ at Brooklyn Space
Brooklyn Space is hosting “What it Feels Like,” a pop-up art gallery that’s an “immersive art experience featuring emerging Black artists.” Organizers hope that the art, curated by Nicolette McClendon, displays “the joys and sorrows of what it feels like to be an artist; to be seen; to feel unheard; or to be an artist of color in the art world today.” The exhibition is open beginning Juneteenth weekend and will remain open at least through the first week of July. Registration to visit is free and the exhibition is located at 68 Jay Street #605 in DUMBO.

Black creatives and culture market and art show
Da Spot NYC in partnership with City Point Mall and Downtown Brooklyn Partnership are hosting their Culture Market and Show featuring Black creatives inside City Point and on Albee Square Plaza. Over 40 local Black and POC-owned creative brands in fashion, beauty, wellness, food and lifestyle goods will be featured at the creative market. The art show will also feature more than 10 local BIPOC artists whose artwork will be available for purchase. There will be two stages with DJs and a third main stage featuring a live panel discussion with three emerging Black-owned businesses. All activities take place between 11 a.m and 7 p.m on both Saturday and Sunday.

651 Arts Juneteenth celebration: (RE)VISION
From 8 to 11p.m on Juneteenth, 651 Arts will be highlighting films that “look through the lens of futurism and movement to illuminate stories about the Black perspective and the Black experience in America.” Films include “Cyborg Heaven,” Charles O. Anderson’s “(RE)current Unrest” and the short “WATA.” Showings will be held on Friday and Saturday in The Plaza at 300 Ashland in Downtown Brooklyn and tickets are free.

Antex Family and Upper Echelon festival, pop-up shop and after party
Antex Family and Upper Echelon are hosting a festival with music, games, drinks, and food all provided by Brooklyn’s Black businesses. An afterparty, from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., will feature soca, dancehall, reggae, Afrobeat, and hip hop from SB Sounds, DJ Train, DJ Midnight and a special guest. Locations for both events will be made known to ticket holders only. The festival costs $7 to attend and afterparty tickets range from $5 to $25.

Father’s Day Biker Bash
Rockboy Baggers motorcycle club and Bed-Stuy Gateway Bid are hosting a Juneteenth Father’s Day Biker Bash from 11 a.m to 7 p.m on both Saturday and Sunday. “Extravagant bikers and their masterpieces,” will be on display as part of a bike show that also includes live music, local food vendors, and cigars. The Father’s Day biker bash takes place at Marcy Plaza on the corner of Fulton street and Marcy avenue.