Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival; What's Open, Closed In Bethesda

BETHESDA, MD — Juneteenth observances in Bethesda and across Montgomery County include the Annual Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival from June 17-19.

Juneteenth, on Monday, June 19, is a national holiday that 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.

On Tuesday, Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando led a council proclamation commemorating Juneteenth. Jawando noted that Juneteenth has been celebrated by African Americans as a "second independence day."

Other Juneteenth events in Montgomery County include:

• Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition's Juneteenth Celebration: The event will take place on Monday, June 19 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Moses African Cemetery, next to 5214 River Road in Bethesda.
• A Celebration of Diverse Voices: The Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts & Culture and the Washington Revels present eight days of live music, conversation and arts activities for all ages to commemorate the end of slavery in America and the history of the Civil Rights era in the region. Many events are held throughout the region. On Sunday, June 25th a festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Glen Echo Park located at 7300 MacArthur Boulevard.

Washington, D.C. is one of the top destinations to celebrate Juneteenth, U.S. News & World Report said in a story earlier this month.

• The National Archives will be displaying both the original Emancipation Proclamation and General Order No. 3 on Juneteenth weekend.
• The "One Life: Frederick Douglass" exhibit will open on June 16, at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.
• Anacostia Community Museum will host its Juneteenth Freedom Celebration on June 19.

Related: What Is Juneteenth? Celebrating The End Of Slavery

Here’s a roundup of what’s open and what’s closed on Juneteenth in Bethesda and across Montgomery County:

Montgomery County office buildings: Closed Monday, June 19.

State offices and courts: Closed Monday, June 19.

Montgomery County Schools: Students are on summer break. Monday, June 19 will be a holiday for all Montgomery County Public Schools employees.

Post offices: Closed Monday, June 19.

State Motor Vehicle Administration offices and Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program stations: Closed Monday, June 19.

Libraries: Closed Sunday, June 18 and Monday, June 19.

Alcohol Beverage Services: All stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, June 19.

Department of Permitting Services: All offices, including customer service lobby, are closed Monday, June 19.

Ride On: Will operate on a holiday schedule on Monday, June 19. All schedules can be found at Routes and Schedules.

Ride On extRa and Ride On Flex: Will not operate on Monday, June 19.

Flash: Orange Line will operate on a weekend and holiday schedule. The Blue Line will not operate.

MARC Train: Sunday service scheduled on the Penn Line only for Monday, June 19. No Camden or Brunswick Line service. Find schedules at Maryland Transit Administration.

TRiPS Silver Spring commuter store: Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, June 19.

TRiPS Mobile Commuter Store: Closed Monday, June 19.

Metrorail: Will operate on a Saturday holiday schedule, with trains running from 5 a.m. to midnight on Monday, June 19. See https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/.

Metrobus: On Monday, June 19, Metrobus will operate on a Saturday supplemental schedule. See https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/.

Public Parking Garages, Lots, Curbside Meters: Free on Monday, June 19.

County-provided trash and recycling: County-provided trash and recycling collections are postponed on Monday, June 19. Collections will slide one day later than usual throughout the week, with the last pickup on Saturday, June 24.

Shady Grove Transfer Station and Recycling Center: Closed Monday, June 19.

Aquatic Centers: County outdoor aquatic facilities will be open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, June 19. Indoor aquatic facilities will close at 6 p.m.

Community Recreation Centers: Closed Monday, June 19.

Senior Centers: Closed Monday, June 19.

RELATED: Juneteenth Festival To Commemorate Desegregation Of Glen Echo Park