McLean Celebrates Black History With Performance By The Pack Drumline

RESTON, VA — Fairfax County celebrates Juneteenth with festivals and historical commemorations on Thursday, June 19.

Juneteenth is a federal holiday commemorating 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

The McLean Community Center will be celebrating Juneteenth with a performance by The Pack Drumline, 7 p.m. at McLean Central Park at 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd. in McLean. The event is free.

The Fairfax County NAACP is teaming up with NOVA Parks for the 4th Annual Bull Run Juneteenth Commemoration on Saturday, June 21, 3-5 p.m., a Bull Run Regional Park, Atlantis Waterpark

7700 Bull Run Drive in Centreville. The Commemorative Program will be 3-4 p.m., followed by the Ice Cream Social, 4-5 p.m. The event marks the largest emancipation to take place prior to the Civil War — on the very grounds of what is now Bull Run Regional Park, according to the organizers. RSVP

The Fairfax County Park Authority is also hosting two events to celebrate Juneteenth.

• Juneteenth Celebration at Sully Historic Site: Celebrate African American history through guided interpretive tours of original outbuildings and the first floor of the main house. Experience storytelling, music, children’s activities, quilt exhibits, touchable artifacts, interpretive displays, and a free health clinic. Food trucks will be available and picnic tables provided. Free admission.
• Exploring Our Historic Meeting House and Grounds at Frying Pan Farm Park, on Saturday, June 21: Explore the rich history of Frying Pan’s Meeting House, one of the oldest religious structures in Fairfax County. Staff and volunteers will offer informal tours of the building and grounds, highlighting the history of African Americans in the area. Free admission.

Because Juneteenth is an official U.S. holiday, banks, federal offices and post offices will be closed. Patch will be closed Thursday.

Many state, county and local government offices will be closed or are open but with holiday hour, including:

• McLean Community Center will be closed on Thursday, June 19.
• Fairfax County government offices: Closed on Thursday, June 19
• Fairfax County Public Schools: Students are on summer break, but June 19 will be a holiday for all FCPS employees.
• Courts: The Fairfax County Circuit Court, General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court will be closed June 19.
• Department of Motor Vehicles: All DMV customer service centers in Northern Virginia will be closed June 19.
• Fairfax Connector: Fairfax Connector will have holiday weekday service on June 19
• Libraries: On June 19, all Fairfax County Public Library locations will be closed.
• I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex Disposal Center will be open on June 19.
• All regular county trash, recycling, yard waste and special collection services are provided on all holidays except Christmas Day. Customers whose trash and recycling is collected by a private contractor should contact their trash company.