Celebrate Juneteenth: 18+ things to do this weekend

By Joshua Encinias

Juneteenth is on Monday, and Brooklyn will be celebrating throughout the long weekend. Friday will kick off the city’s 14th annual Juneteenth Celebration in the borough with an awards reception. The holiday, which was officially signed into federal law in 2021, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned from federal troops — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted — that the Civil War had ended and they were free.

Elsewhere, the 41st Mermaid Day Parade will hit Coney Island on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, the 15th annual Punk Island Zine Fest comes to the American Veterans Memorial Pier. And while most Juneteenth events happen over the weekend, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum will hold a special event for kids on Monday.

Here’s what’s going on around town:

Friday, June 16

The 14th Annual Juneteenth NY Celebration
All weekend, various times
New York City’s Juneteenth celebration kicks off with “The Celebration of Black Kings Awards Reception,” a private event held at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Friday honoring 28 influential male leaders that have made a significant impact in the New York community.

• The Juneteenth Family Fun Day Festival will be held on Saturday at Linden Park/Gershwin Park with a day of music, dance, poetry, skits, local vendors, and fun for the entire family.
• The Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty will provide kids’ basketball clinics and include performances from their dance teams.
• The celebration wraps up with the Grand Finale Rally and Concert beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday at the Grand Army Plaza entrance of Prospect Park, where community members will head towards the main stage with a local marching band to deliver speeches. Free.

Third Annual Black Creatives and Culture Fest
All weekend, various times
DA SPOT NYC hosts the Third Annual Black Creatives and Culture Fest in partnership with City Point BKLYN all weekend. The three-day event takes place from Friday to Sunday. Come see this showcase of over 50 BIPOC creatives. You can shop at the marketplace for fashion, art, beauty, food, and lifestyle goods.

• On Friday night there’s Poetic Justice poetry night, led by Karyne Tinord of Kay de Trés.
• Saturday has “Black Men Who Lead,” a panel on the triumphs and challenges faced by Black entrepreneurs.
• Sunday you can attend the “Boss Up with Life Enhancing Self-Care Practices” workshop, led by Coach Khaya and Monica EL of Boss Lady Conversations.

We’ve barely scratched the surface of everything the Fest has in store, so check out their Eventbrite for the complete line-up of events. 445 Albee Square West. Free.

Burger expert George Motz in conversation with Brooklyn Magazine
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Brooklyn Magazine editor Brian Braiker will interview the George Motz about his newest cookbook, “The Great American Burger Book,” at Powerhouse Arena in Dumbo. Stick around because Motz is signing books and grilling up 200 Iowa Loosemeat Sandwiches after. Oh, and there’s free beer. Bring Dad or buy him the only book he needs for Father’s Day. 28 Adams Street. Free with RSVP.

Gwyneth Rave starring Willow Pill and DJ Pearl
10 p.m.
Gwyneth Paltrow solidified her status as Hollywood’s most dispassionate queen when she told retired optometrist Terry Sanderson “I wish you well” after she defeated his ski-crash claims in court. The actress and lifestyle guru’s Xanaxed response, somehow, inspired a rave at 3 Dollar Bill, happening on Friday night. Drag Race’s own mellow queen Willow Pill will perform. 260 Meserole Street. Tickets are $30 in advance, $40 at the door.

Saturday, June 17

See ‘The Flash’ for free at Stuart Cinema & Cafe
Saturday and Sunday at various times
Pluto TV hosts a free movie weekend at Brooklyn’s Stuart Cinema & Cafe on Saturday and Sunday as part of their ongoing support of independent theaters. Stuart Cinema is New York’s first Black, Latina-owned movie theater, led by Emelyn Stuart. In celebration of summer movies, various screenings and popcorn will be showing completely free. This weekend’s movie is the new DC superhero movie “The Flash.” 79 West Street. Reserve tickets by emailing StuartCinemaCafe@gmail.com

The 41st Coney Island Mermaid Day Parade
10 a.m. assembly, 1 p.m. parade
The annual boardwalk bacchanal is back! The legendary Mermaid Day Parade, which dates back to 1983, marks the unofficially official start of summer in the borough. More than 1,500 dancers, musicians, painters, sculptors, and costumed weirdos from all over the five boroughs and beyond participate in the mythological seaside merriment. 21st and Surf Avenue.

Juneteenth Food Festival
Noon to 7 p.m.
The Juneteenth Food Festival with Weeksville Heritage Center will host 29 food vendors and five non-food businesses, curated by Black-Owned Brooklyn. Enjoy barbecue, fried fish, a crab boil, red beans and rice, red drinks, and red velvet cake, as well as flavors from regions of Africa and the Caribbean. The Festival will also feature a marketplace of apparel, accessories, records, and books, all from Black brands. 158 Buffalo Avenue. Free.

Rise in Spirit: A Juneteenth Celebration
1 to 6 p.m.
The family-friendly event will take visitors on a journey of the African diaspora that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the people of Africa and African descendant cultures. Enjoy performances by African dancers and drummers from the Asase Yaa Youth Ensemble, IET Band jazz quartet, tap dancer Joseph Webb, the St. Paul’s Baptist Church gospel choir and theatrical readings by Sharon Gordon. Alliance educators will also provide cooking demonstrations, historic games and more. Lefferts Historic House, Free, RSVP. Then come back at noon on Sunday for the One Love Little Caribbean Day party, I AM CARIBBEING style.

Disco Tea with Lady Bunny’s DJ set
5 p.m.
The bitch is back in Brooklyn … and she’s doing an early show because she’s old as hell. Come out to see New York icon Lady Bunny play her favorite disco tracks at this classic Tea Dance. And for a taste of Bunny’s humor, check out our conversation with her last fall. Grab your gays, gals, and theys, and hit the dance floor at C’mon Everybody. 21+. 325 Franklin Avenue. Tickets are $12.

Pitchfork and Them present: Night Out
6 p.m.
Pitchfork and Them will host a special Pride celebration and concert on Saturday at the Knockdown Center. The musical lineup includes Tinashe, Lido Pimienta, Pom Pom Squad, Zebra Katz, Papi Juice, Ariel Zetina, and the queens of Bushwig featuring Horrorchata and friends. 52-19 Flushing Avenue. Tickets start at $40.

Juneteenth UNITYFEST
Doors: 6:30 p.m.; show starts at 7:30
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! and the Robert Randolph Foundation join forces on Saturday evening to celebrate Juneteenth and its impact on Black and American culture. On the bill at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park are two R&B heavyweights: JOE and Stokley. Free, but donations are appreciated.

Night in the Library: The Philosophy of Hip Hop
7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
This overnight event will take over the halls of the Brooklyn Public Library for an evening filled with live DJs, multimedia performances, keynote talks, and interactive discussions celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Guests will be given free rein to roam the halls of the Library’s Central Branch for a celebration of this game-changing musical genre that has broken barriers for underrepresented communities in the often-exclusive world of arts and culture. Guests include KRS-One, Rapsody, Brandon “Jinx” Jenkins, Hawa, Dapper Dan, Ari Melber & the Hon. Dr. Gloria Carter. 10 Grand Army Plaza. Free, but first come, first served.

Max Roach: The Drum also Waltzes
Live music at 8:15 p.m.; film at 9
A free community screening of the documentary exploring the life and music of the legendary drummer in his centennial year. “Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes” explores the life and music of the legendary drummer, composer, bandleader, and social activist through a remarkable series of creative peaks, struggles, and personal reinventions — from the Jim Crow era to the Civil Rights years, surveying the heady days of post-war modern jazz to hip hop and beyond. A Q&A with Roach’s family members will follow. Herbert Von King Park, 670 Lafayette Ave. Free.

Fancy: Queens of Country Party
11:30 p.m.
Grab your dancin’ dress and head over to Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday night to celebrate the music of Reba, Dolly, Shania, Loretta, Wynonna, and more. This is for the 9 to 5 workin’ girls so wrangle your country-diva dancing queens and come party! 61 Wythe Avenue. Tickets are $15 to $20.

Sunday, June 18

Punk Island Zine Fest
12 p.m.
Now in its 15th year, Punk Island will present 90+ bands across five stages. This all-ages, DIY music and zine festival takes place at District 43’s Shore Road Park. Punk Island is led by a collective of artists, curators, musicians, and educators whose goal is to bring the vitality, diversity, and intensity of the NYC punk scene to the city. American Veterans Memorial Pier. Free.

Brooklyn Museum’s Juneteenth Jubilee
2 p.m.
Brooklyn Museum hosts its third annual celebration by bringing together Black performers, artists, and Black-owned businesses. Visitors can get their portraits taken by Brooklyn-based collective Souls in Focus, watch a performance of Webbed Fugues by Renegade Performance Group, and listen to soulful music by Brown Sugar Bounce. You can make art inspired by two current Museum exhibitions that center on Black liberation and grab a bite/beverage from local vendors East Flatbush’s vegan eatery Aunts et Uncles and Bed-Stuy’s Bed-Vyne Brew and Brooklyn Tea. 200 Eastern Parkway. Free.

Monday, June 19

Bk Children’s Museum: Celebrate Juneteenth
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum invites you and the little ones to Brower Park for a special Juneteenth commemoration on Monday. Live music, dance, workshops, performances, and art projects will be presented in partnership with Friends of Brower Park, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and Brooklyn United Marching Band. All Juneteenth activities will take place at the Shirley Chisholm Circle in Brower Park. Free.