FRIDAY, JUNE 16
Jump into Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom is happening Friday, June 16 from 5PM-9PM at Watkins Abbitt Park in Appomattox! The event will include music, food, various vendors, 360 photo booth, kids’ activities and more! There will be performances from Apple Butter Soul band, New Beginning Gospel Singers, Darryl Rose and Kuumba Dance Ensemble. This event is sponsored by Appomattox for Equity. Watkins Abbitt Park is located at 129 Main Street in Appomattox.
Isaac Williams Jazz Quartet will be in concert Friday, June 16 from 6PM-8PM in the Earley Memorial Shrub Garden at Old City Cemetery Museums and Arboretum in Lynchburg! Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy the show! BBQ and Veggie bowls will be onsite and available for purchase. Advance registration is required at gravegarden.org/events. This event is in partnership with the Lynchburg Juneteenth Coalition. The event is happening at 401 Taylor Street in Lynchburg.
Cost: $5
*ViBE will be onsite
A 2023 Juneteenth Pride Party is happening Friday, June 16 from 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM at the Culture Restaurant and Grill in Danville! Enjoy a live DJ, games (cornhole, Juneteenth trivia questions and musical chairs), socializing, live stories, performances, glow sticks, dancing and a Juneteenth Pride Toast at the end of the night. Food and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the event.
Cost: $15
Join the Juneteenth concert performance “Rock & Reel: Monticello’s Folk Traditions” Friday, June 16 at 7:30 PM at Court Street Baptist Church in Lynchburg! This event will explore the music and storytelling gifts and achievements of enslaved people of Monticello, primarily many members and descendants of the Hemings family. For more information, please visit amherstglebeartsresponse.org, as it’s sponsored by the Amherst Glebe Arts Project. The event is happening at 517 Court Street in Lynchburg.
Cost: $5, K-12 students are free
African American Heritage Night with the Salem Red Sox is happening Friday, June 16 at the Salem Memorial Ballpark! This evening is a collaborative dedication with the Salem Red Sox for every black baseball player that bravely paved the way for us on and off the field. The event, falling on Juneteenth weekend, commemorates the sacrifices of those that came before us while empowering us to step into our innate purpose. Join us for an incredible night of humility, love, and celebration.
Bring your family and friends for a fun-filled tailgate starting at 5:00 PM with food, DJ, drinks, vendors and outdoor games. This will be followed by a start of the game at 7:05 PM.
The Not Your Average Tailgate is hosted by The Humble Hustle Company, Inc. and the cost includes the ticket to the game. Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark is located at 1008 Texas Street in Salem.
Cost: $10-$12 (plus Eventbrite fee)
*ViBE will be onsite
SATURDAY, JUNE 17
The inaugural Juneteenth Breakfast for Prayer and Freedom March is happening Saturday, June 17th at 9AM at First Baptist Church in Roanoke! The breakfast will begin at 9AM in the parking lot of First Baptist Church Gainsboro with the Freedom March at 10AM. Transportation will be available for anyone choosing to park at Eureka Park. This event is sponsored by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). For more information or to register, email [email protected] or call 540.266.2095. First Baptist Church Gainsboro is located at 310 N Jefferson Ave in Roanoke.
The Lynchburg Juneteenth Coalition is hosting a Juneteenth Festival, Celebrating Freedom and Music, at Miller Park Saturday, June 17 from 10AM-2PM! This will include health information and screenings, African American authors, STEM station for kids, DJ Purple Haze, Kuumba Dance Ensemble and other food and entertainment vendors! Bring your lawn chair or blanket. Miller Park is located at 2100 Park Ave in Lynchburg. Follow the Lynchburg Juneteenth Coalition on Facebook for more information.
*ViBE will be onsite
Celebrate Juneteenth “Put a Little Love in your Heart” at the Sedalia Center Saturday, June 17 with gates opening at 12PM in Big Island! This event will feature former Lynchburg Mayor Treney Tweedy, Teasley Tai Chi, Poetry and Music on the Counter Ridge Stage, an opportunity t to participate in Our Bedford Story and David Mason of Agape Ambassadors Ministry. Performances include Kevin Anderson, Hills Creek Baptist Church Praise Team, Unforgettable – A musical journey by Jennifer Petticolas, Blues Teaser by Seathroughsoul and a jazz teaser by Quintana Allstars. The Sedalia Center is located at 1108 Sedalia School Road in Big Island.
Booker T. Washington National Monument’s 22nd Juneteenth Gospel Celebration at is happening on June 17 from 11AM-4PM in Hardy! The event will include gospel music, a talk and tour about Booker T. Washington and Juneteenth, food vendors and children’s activities. Be sure to bring your own chair, umbrella or canopy for shade!
Farmville Juneteenth 2023 is happening Saturday, June 17 from 11:30 AM – 4:30 PM at the Moton Museum in Farmville! The event is sponsored by The Motor Museum, R.R. Moton/Prince Edward County Alumni Association, Prince Edward County NAACP, Farmville Jaycees and Fresh Boyz Club. Moton Museum is located at 900 Griffin Blvd in Farmville.
Floyd Care presents 2023 Juneteenth Celebration Saturday, June 17 from 1PM-4PM at the Warren G. Lineberry Community Park in Floyd! There will be local speakers, vendors and information available for all! The park is located at 284 S Locust St in Floyd.
The Roanoke Cultural Collective presents Juneteenth Family Reunion Saturday, June 17 at 12PM at Eureka Park in Roanoke! The event will include music, food and family activities. Sponsors include Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Your Vote Your Voice, Roanoke Parks and Recreation, CAPRA, Goodwill and Community Arts Reach. Eureka Park is located at 1529 Carroll Ave NW in Roanoke.
*ViBE will be onsite
Come out to the Juneteenth Festival featuring Critical Condition Band and Still Familiar Saturday, June 17 from 3PM-9PM at Lazy Days Winery in Amherst! Enjoy a family friendly environment with live music, speakers, poets, spoken word, vendors and live go-go band. No outside food or drinks allowed, weapons are prohibited, bring a lawn chair and enjoy! This event is sponsored by the Amherst County NAACP branch 7045. For more information, visit juneteenthfestivalva.com. Lazy Days Winery is located at 1351 N Amherst Hwy in Amherst.
Cost: $25 – $35, $10 kids ages 6-17, free kids 5 and under
The Coalition of Christiansburg invites you to Juneteenth 2023: Black Empowerment, Joy and Legacy Saturday, June 17 from 4PM-8PM at the historic Christiansburg Industrial Institute campus in Montgomery County! Enjoy outdoor live music, food trucks, artist and vendor booths, family friendly games and more! The event is hosted by The Coalition: Christiansburg Institute, Hill School Community Center and the Christiansburg Institute Alumni Association. The event is located at 140 Scattergood Dr NW and is sponsored by the Town of Christiansburg.
SUNDAY, JUNE 18
The Nelson Heritage Center is hosting a Juneteenth Celebration “Discovering Our Roots” Sunday, June 18 from 3PM-5PM in Nelson County! The event will feature an art exhibit, photographs and stories from a local family, and an exhibit on the history of Nelson County Public Schools’ integration. There will be a meal and activities on the lawn after the program. Nelson Heritage Center is located at 1653 Thomas Nelson Hwy in Arrington.
Silent Witnesses is hosting a Juneteenth event entitled The History of Enslavement in the Hill City Sunday, June 18 from 4PM-7PM at the Virginian Hotel in Lynchburg! There will be a reception and silent auction from 4PM-5PM followed by Dinner and Program from 5PM-7PM. The keynote speaker is Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz, Vice President of Collections and Public Engagement at Stratford Hall and the MC is Mark Spain from WSET News. The event will include the unveiling of six historical markers and performances by Gloria Simon, Ron Shoultz and Monique Gafford. Sponsors include The Legacy Museum, Lynchburg Museum, Bank of the James and the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation. The Virginian hotel is located at 712 Church Street in Lynchburg.
Cost: $50
MONDAY, JUNE 19
Roanoke College is hosting a Juneteenth Celebration and Cookout for faculty, staff and students at 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Monday, June 19 in Roanoke! This event is sponsored by the Office of Community, Diversity & Inclusion, the Center for Spiritual Life and Campus Ministries, and the Center for Studying Structures of Race. The celebration will occur in the Wortmann Ballroom in the Colket Center in Roanoke.
Join Dana with Image Nation for a fun night of painting and celebrating her 1st year Anniversary & Juneteenth Paint Party Celebration at Jose’s in Gretna Monday, June 19 at 6:30 PM!
There will be four designs to choose from including two beautiful designs perfect for celebrating Juneteenth! There are canvas and wooden options available. Get creative and use the colors of your choice as there are no rules, but to have fun! There will be door prizes, but seating is limited.
It is suggested to arrive around 5:15pm to get food and drinks from Jose’s in Gretna as it takes about 15-20 minutes to setup before start time. Painting will start promptly at 6:30pm!
Get $5 off when you register by Friday, June 2nd! Use Promo Code CELEBRATE at checkout. All tickets must be purchased by Monday, June 12th! No refunds. Jose’s Mexican Grill is located at 100 Vaden Dr. Unit D in Gretna.
Cost: $35-$45
The Academy Center of the Arts presents A Juneteenth Celebration – Songs of Freedom: Journeying the Underground Railroad Monday, June 19 at 7:30 PM at the historic Academy Theatre in Lynchburg! This program honors the ‘code songs’ used on the clandestine journey along the Underground Railroad by Harriet Tubman and the Freedom Seekers beginning in 1849. Tubman led 13 successful trips on the Underground Railroad, leading 70 men, women, and children to freedom above the Mason-Dixon Line. The songs that guided the way, Follow the Drinking Gourd, and inspired their treacherous journey, Let My People Go, Wade in the Water, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, and more all performed with musicians playing banjo, washboard, harmonica, and bass. “Songs of Freedom from the Underground Railroad”, performed by Linda Harris, Director of Events and Programs at the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center in Cambridge, MD. The Academy is located at 600 Main Street in Lynchburg.
Cost: $5 – $20
SATURDAY, JUNE 24
The Town of Blackstone is hosting a Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 24 from 10AM-10PM South Main Street! The event will hold 3 stages, over 80 vendors, participation from location businesses, entertainment for all ages as well as recognition of the Divine 9, Orders of the Free Mason and Orders of the Eastern Star. Keynote speakers include Wanda Morrison (1st Black Mayer of Kenbridge, VA), Elijah Coles-Brown (Social Justice Activist with National Action Network) and Tatyanna Faulk-Frink (Miss Black North Carolina 2023). The block party is from 6PM-10PM, so come out and celebrate! Follow their Facebook page for more information. The event is happening on South Main Street in Blackstone.
