Juneteenth 2022: What’s Open, What’s Closed In Sarasota

SARASOTA, FL — Because the June 19 Juneteenth holiday falls on a Sunday this year, banks, federal offices and the post office in Sarasota will be closed Monday in commemoration of the date in 1865 when word reached the last enslaved people in Texas that the Civil War had ended and they were free.

Juneteenth is not an official state holiday in Florida; however, many government services in Sarasota change their hours around the holiday. Here is what's opened and closed in the city on Juneteenth:

Government Offices: Administrative offices will be closed Monday, June 20, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.

Waste Pickup & Recycling: Residential garbage, recycling and yard waste collection and commercial garbage collection schedules will be unaffected by the holiday.

Courts (12th Judicial Circuit in Sarasota): Business as usual

SCAT Bus Services: Buses only do not run on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Additional details at this link.

Siesta Key Breeze Trolley: The trolley operates from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Hours of operation at recreation and cultural arts facilities are as follows:

• Arlington Park and Aquatic Complex, 2650 Waldemere St., will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Lido Pool, 400 Benjamin Franklin Drive, will be closed.

• Nature Trails at Bobby Jones Golf Club remain closed for the ongoing golf course renovation and restoration project.

• Payne Park Tennis Center, 2050 Adams Lane, will be open from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th St., will be open from 6-10 a.m.
• Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail - The Box Office will be closed.

The city is also co-sponsoring the Newtown Juneteenth Celebration 2022 from 1-8 p.m. Saturday, June 18. The event will take place along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way between Osprey Avenue and Dixie Avenue and will include food trucks, vendors, a DJ, live music and family friendly activities.

“Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and offers a time for reflection on African American history and the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality,” said Vice Mayor Kyle Battie. “We’re proud to carry on the traditional Juneteenth observances with this special community event in the heart of Newtown, and we hope everyone can join us and help celebrate our shared history.”

Last year, President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth an official holiday, becoming the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday was approved in 1983. Juneteenth is oldest-known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States.

Patch employees have the day off Monday. Some other businesses around town may also be closed; so if you’re planning to stop by one of them, it’s a good idea to call ahead to make sure the business is open.

Some big brands are giving their employees a day off or paying them extra.

Companies that are already looking seriously at diversity, equity and inclusion efforts may see adding Juneteenth as a paid holiday as “something tangible” that “recognizes the importance of that day,” Julie Stich, a vice president of content at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, told NPR.

Nike said in an email statement to NPR that Juneteenth is a paid holiday for corporate, retail, manufacturing and distribution employees across the Nike, Converse and Jordan brands. Zillow is doing the same as part of its “ongoing commitment to racial equality,” the company said in a statement.

Both Zillow and Nike are encouraging employees to reflect on the importance of the day while taking part in volunteering, activism and educational opportunities.

Among them, Target and Starbucks are open, but employees get time-and-a-half pay on Juneteenth, according to a list put together by Entrepreneur.

Tech companies Twitter and Square are giving employees the day off. Google and Amazon aren’t, but they’re encouraging employees to cancel meetings. Amazon is also offering “online learning opportunities” throughout the day.