Juneteenth Events, Holiday Closures Planned In Loudoun County

WOODBRIDGE, VA — Loudoun County will observe Juneteenth with a march and other events on Thursday.

The Loudoun Freedom Center and NAACP Loudoun Branch are hosting a march to observe Juneteenth on Thursday, June, 19 at 9 a.m. in downtown Leesburg. Attendees will gather at the Loudoun County Courthouse and march on Church Street to Ralfo Park.

Anticipated speakers are NAACP Loudoun Branch President Pastor Michelle C. Thomas, Sen. Tim Kaine, Del. David Reid (D-Loudoun) former Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney Buta Biberaj, Christian Yohannes of NAACP Loudoun, NAACP Loudoun and Mary Hemings Bell descendant Robin Burke and Loudoun Freedom Center intern Payton Arnett. Crush Funk Band will perform at Ralfo Park, and the Everything Irie Taste of Jamaica food truck will be on site.

Temporary road closures will be in place during the march. According to the Town of Leesburg, East Market, Loudoun, Royal, South, and Harrison streets will be impacted. Drivers are asked to expect minor delays and follow police direction.

Other events include the Middleburg Juneteenth on Saturday, June 21 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Middleburg Community Center and The "Burg" Family Reunion Club's Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 21 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ida Lee Park.

The Thursday, June 19, federal holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when word finally reached the last enslaved people in Texas that the Civil War had ended, and they were free. It was more than two months after the end of the Civil War, and about two and one-half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, Juneteenth is the oldest-known celebration of the end of slavery in the on 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.

Some towns and cities are scaling back Juneteenth celebrations — or canceling them altogether — due to concerns about violating the Trump administration’s executive orders banning diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Trump’s executive orders don’t cancel the federal holiday — Congress created it and only Congress can repeal it — but civil rights groups contend the DEI bans are having a chilling effect on Juneteenth. They argue the bans undermine the principles of equality and equal opportunity that Juneteenth represents.

Organizers of some events across the country say they’re having trouble landing their usual corporate sponsorships from businesses and organizations working to comply with DEI executive orders. Many of these companies have contracts directly with the government or receive indirect federal funding through contracts with nonprofits that provide services, such as workplace diversity training. Or, they may simply have shifted priorities due to the politics of DEI.

• Related: How DEI Bans Are Affecting 2025 Juneteenth Celebrations

Because Juneteenth is an official U.S. holiday, banks, federal offices and post offices in Loudoun County will be closed. Many state, county and local government offices will be closed as well, including:

• Loudoun County government offices: Closed on June 19.
• Loudoun County courts: Closed on June 19.
• Loudoun County Public Schools: The school year has ended, and offices are closed on June 19.
• Community and senior centers: Community centers and senior centers will have regular hours on June 19. There will be no bus transportation, lunch programs or home-delivered meals.
• Department of Motor Vehicles: Closed on June 19.
• Libraries: Loudoun County Public Library locations are closed on June 19.
• Loudoun County Transit: On June 19, Commuter Bus Service and the Loudoun County Courthouse Shuttle from the Pennington Garage and Lot will not run. Local bus service, including routes serving the Silver Line Metrorail stations, and Paratransit Bus Service will have regular hours.
• Metro: Metrorail will operate on a Saturday holiday schedule from 5 a.m. to midnight on June 19.
• Parks and recreation: Recreation centers, the Franklin Park Pool, the Lovettsville Community Pool, and splash pads will have normal hours on June 19. The Franklin Park Performing and Visual Arts Center (excluding camp programs), Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services administrative offices and adult day centers will be closed. Park grounds, including trails, gardens, playgrounds, off-leash areas, skate parks, courts, and fields remain open.
• Pools: A.V. Symington Aquatic Center is open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. (11 a.m. for Town of Leesburg residents).
• Post offices: Closed on June 19.
• Trash and recycling: Residents with private collection services should check with their provider for schedule changes. The Loudoun County Landfill will be open.