Here are 2023 Juneteenth events in Northern California this weekend
Monday, June 19, is Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, and there are many events happening this weekend in Northern California leading up to the holiday.June 19, 1865, was the day Black people enslaved in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom from Union soldiers. This happened two months after the Confederacy had surrendered in the Civil War and more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.African Americans have been celebrating Juneteenth as their own Independence Day since the late 19th century, according to the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation.(Video above: 2023 Juneteenth celebration takes place in Elk Grove.)In 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill that officially made Juneteenth a federal holiday. “I think that the recognition of Juneteenth is also a recognition of American history. Juneteenth is not just Black history,” Gary Simon with Sacramento Juneteenth Inc., said ahead of an event last year. Here’s a look at some of the biggest Juneteenth events in Northern California this week, through the weekend and Monday. Rancho Cordova: Friday, June 16Rancho Cordova has an event at Hagen Park Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The free event features free food, musical guests, a DJ, dance teams, spoken word poets, and a Black-owned marketplace. People are encouraged to bring a chair and blanket. See more here.Sacramento events: Friday, June 16 – 19Sacramento’s 20th annual Juneteenth FestivalSacramento’s three-day Juneteenth Festival in Land Park starts Friday with Gospel Under the Stars on two stages from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturday, the festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It features 10 local bands, more than 80 food, and other vendors, a golf tournament, a kid’s area with mask making, face painting, and more, a run/walk event, cooking demonstrations, health screenings, dancing, Black history presentations, and more. Learn more here. Sac State Juneteenth eventSacramento State professor Darryl Freeman, a Renaissance Society of Sac State member, will speak at an event on campus Friday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Del Norte Hall, Room 1004. Learn more here. St. Hope Juneteenth Block PartyThe free St. Hope Annual Juneteenth Block Party takes place Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the 40 Acres Complex in Oak Park. It features music, art and entertainment, Black-owned street and food vendors, and a kid’s zone. People are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. Club Nouveau is headlining the event. Learn more here. Juneteenth event in North Sacramento The North Sacramento Family Resource Center is holding an event with arts and crafts, music, games, raffle, a free lunch, and more on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 2469 Rio Linda Boulevard. Learn more here. California State Capitol Juneteenth event A Juneteenth event on the west steps of the Capitol takes place Monday at 6:30 p.m. Learn more here. Folsom: Saturday, June 17The second annual Juneteenth Celebration at Black Miners Bar in the Folsom Lake Recreation Area takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features educational exhibits, food vendors, historians, arts and crafts, music, and guided nature hikes. The site is named after California’s Black 49ers who prospected for gold along the American River. SacRT is providing free transportation from anywhere in Sacramento. Learn more here. Stockton: Saturday, June 17In Stockton, the San Joaquin County Juneteenth Foundation is holding an event Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Weber Point Events Center. It includes live performances, food, poetry, history, community awards, and more. Learn more here.Rocklin: Saturday, June 17Rocklin’s celebration is Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Johnson-Springview Park. It features kid’s activities, conversations with community members and historians, and live entertainment. Learn more here. Vallejo: Saturday, June 17A Juneteenth parade in Vallejo takes place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. starting at Broadway and Tennessee Street. That’s followed by a festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Green. The event features food and other vendors, kid’s activities, live entertainment, and more. Learn more here. Suisun City: Saturday, June 17The second annual Suisun City Juneteenth Family Block Party takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Suisun Waterfront. It features live music, food vendors and artisans, and more family-friendly activities. Learn more here. Fairfield: Saturday, June 17The second annual Fairfield Juneteenth Celebration takes place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Solano Annex at 601 Texas Street. It features vendors, speakers, kid’s activities, and dancing. Learn more here. Know of another event in Northern California to include? Email us at web@kcra.com. The Associated Press also contributed to this story.
Monday, June 19, is Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, and there are many events happening this weekend in Northern California leading up to the holiday.
June 19, 1865, was the day Black people enslaved in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom from Union soldiers. This happened two months after the Confederacy had surrendered in the Civil War and more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
African Americans have been celebrating Juneteenth as their own Independence Day since the late 19th century, according to the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation.
(Video above: 2023 Juneteenth celebration takes place in Elk Grove.)
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill that officially made Juneteenth a federal holiday.
“I think that the recognition of Juneteenth is also a recognition of American history. Juneteenth is not just Black history,” Gary Simon with Sacramento Juneteenth Inc., said ahead of an event last year.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest Juneteenth events in Northern California this week, through the weekend and Monday.
Rancho Cordova: Friday, June 16
Rancho Cordova has an event at Hagen Park Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The free event features free food, musical guests, a DJ, dance teams, spoken word poets, and a Black-owned marketplace. People are encouraged to bring a chair and blanket. See more here.
Sacramento events: Friday, June 16 – 19
Sacramento’s 20th annual Juneteenth Festival
Sacramento’s three-day Juneteenth Festival in Land Park starts Friday with Gospel Under the Stars on two stages from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturday, the festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It features 10 local bands, more than 80 food, and other vendors, a golf tournament, a kid’s area with mask making, face painting, and more, a run/walk event, cooking demonstrations, health screenings, dancing, Black history presentations, and more. Learn more here.
Sac State Juneteenth event
Sacramento State professor Darryl Freeman, a Renaissance Society of Sac State member, will speak at an event on campus Friday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Del Norte Hall, Room 1004. Learn more here.
St. Hope Juneteenth Block Party
The free St. Hope Annual Juneteenth Block Party takes place Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the 40 Acres Complex in Oak Park. It features music, art and entertainment, Black-owned street and food vendors, and a kid’s zone. People are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. Club Nouveau is headlining the event. Learn more here.
Juneteenth event in North Sacramento
The North Sacramento Family Resource Center is holding an event with arts and crafts, music, games, raffle, a free lunch, and more on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 2469 Rio Linda Boulevard. Learn more here.
California State Capitol Juneteenth event
A Juneteenth event on the west steps of the Capitol takes place Monday at 6:30 p.m. Learn more here.
Folsom: Saturday, June 17
The second annual Juneteenth Celebration at Black Miners Bar in the Folsom Lake Recreation Area takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features educational exhibits, food vendors, historians, arts and crafts, music, and guided nature hikes. The site is named after California’s Black 49ers who prospected for gold along the American River. SacRT is providing free transportation from anywhere in Sacramento. Learn more here.
Stockton: Saturday, June 17
In Stockton, the San Joaquin County Juneteenth Foundation is holding an event Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Weber Point Events Center. It includes live performances, food, poetry, history, community awards, and more. Learn more here.
Rocklin: Saturday, June 17
Rocklin’s celebration is Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Johnson-Springview Park. It features kid’s activities, conversations with community members and historians, and live entertainment. Learn more here.
Vallejo: Saturday, June 17
A Juneteenth parade in Vallejo takes place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. starting at Broadway and Tennessee Street. That’s followed by a festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Green. The event features food and other vendors, kid’s activities, live entertainment, and more. Learn more here.
Suisun City: Saturday, June 17
The second annual Suisun City Juneteenth Family Block Party takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Suisun Waterfront. It features live music, food vendors and artisans, and more family-friendly activities. Learn more here.
Fairfield: Saturday, June 17
The second annual Fairfield Juneteenth Celebration takes place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Solano Annex at 601 Texas Street. It features vendors, speakers, kid’s activities, and dancing. Learn more here.
Know of another event in Northern California to include? Email us at web@kcra.com. The Associated Press also contributed to this story.
