Juneteenth Celebrated Throughout The Tampa Bay Area

TAMPA BAY, FL — Juneteenth observances take place across the Tampa Bay area this week.

The Wednesday, June 19, federal holiday commemorates the day in 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, when word finally reached the last enslaved people in Texas that the Civil War had ended, and they were free.

Also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, Juneteenth is the oldest-known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation making it a federal holiday, the first since the addition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.

• Related: When Is Juneteenth? What To Know About Holiday Marking Slavery’s End

Upcoming Juneteenth events in the greater Tampa Bay area include:

• Juneteenth Festival Mentorship Expo, Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg.
• Juneteenth Pints of Science & Vendor Fair, Tuesday, 6 to 9 p.m., at New World in Tampa. This evening of Black culture, history and community offers a panel on art, history and healthcare.
• Blacks in Technology Open House, Tuesday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at 1920 Ybor in Tampa.
• Juneteenth Celebration on the Deuces, Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Catalyst on the Deuces in St. Petersburg. There will be local vendors, artists and more.
• Juneteenth Summer Block Party, Wednesday, 4 p.m., at Perry Harvey Park in Tampa. Celebrate the holiday with food trucks, games and more.
• Juneteenth Community Event, Wednesday, 4 to 8 p.m., at Ragan Park in Tampa. This family-friendly festival offers a day of excitement, entertainment, education and community.
• Juneteenth Film Festival, Wednesday, 6 p.m., at Tampa Theatre. This free screening presents four local films, including “𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘟 𝘘𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦,” directed by Jabaar Edmond and starring Cranstan Cumberbatch.
• The Shout: Gospel Music Workshop, Wednesday, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Tully-Levine Gallery in St. Petersburg’s Arts Xchange. Join Dr. Kevin B. Parrott, a renowned Gospel music scholar and Minister of Music for the Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, for a dynamic journey into the heart and soul of Gospel music. In honor of Juneteenth, this special workshop will explore the rich history of this powerful genre, from its origins to its modern expressions of faith, resilience, and social justice.
• Juneteenth Celebration, Saturday, 11 a.m., at Dorsett Park in Tarpon Springs. There will be waterslides, a DJ, face painting, vendors, games and free food (while supplies last.)
• Krate Juneteenth Celebration, Saturday, 7 to 11 p.m., at Krate at the Grove in Wesley Chapel. There will be music, vendors, games, drinks and more.
• Juneteenth Freedom Day, Sunday, 5 to 8 p.m., at Deviant Libation in Tampa. This showcases features Black-owned businesses and artists.

Because Juneteenth is an official U.S. holiday, banks, federal offices and post offices in the Tampa Bay area will be closed Wednesday. Many state, county and local government offices will be closed as well.