Juneteenth Brings Events, Closures Around Vienna

VIENNA, VA — Although Vienna's Juneteenth kickoff parade and festival happened last weekend, there are various other ways to celebrate Juneteenth on Thursday into the weekend.

A few of the Juneteenth events happening near Vienna are the Juneteenth Celebration at Sully Historic Site on June 19, Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation's Juneteenth Celebration on June 19, McLean Community Center's The Pack Drumline performance on June 19 and Bull Run Juneteenth Commemoration on June 21.

There are also events during Vienna's Liberty Amendments Month, which commemorates the Constitutional Amendments that extended rights to people previously excluded from the Constitution — the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th Amendments. Some upcoming events are the Restricted Vienna Panel & Workshop on June 18, Naturalization Ceremony on June 21 and Goodbye Liberty Amendments Month Mural at Patrick Henry Library on June 25.

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 Vienna and Fairfax County will be closed. Many state, county and local government offices will be closed as well, including:

• Town of Vienna government offices: Closed on June 19.
• Fairfax County government offices: Closed on June 19.
• Fairfax County courts: The Fairfax County Circuit Court, General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court will be closed June 19.
• Fairfax County Public Schools: Students are on summer break, but June 19 will be a holiday for all FCPS employees.
• Community center: The Vienna Community Center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 19.
• Department of Motor Vehicles: Closed on June 19.
• Fairfax Connector: Fairfax Connector will have holiday weekday service on June 19. The holiday weekday service has been adjusted to follow a Saturday schedule, with the addition of weekday service on Routes 306, 660 and 662. Routes that run on a Saturday schedule are 101, 109, 151, 152, 161, 162, 171, 308, 310, 321, 322, 371, 401, 402, 423, 463, 467, 558, 559, 574, 605, 610, 615, 622, 630, 642, 651, 672, 703, 721, 803, 901, 921, 924, 937, 950, 952, 954, 983, RIBS 1, RIBS 2, RIBS 3, RIBS 4 and RIBS 5.
• Libraries: On June 19, all Fairfax County Public Library locations will be closed.
• Metro: Metrorail will operate on a Saturday holiday schedule from 5 a.m. to midnight on June 19.
• Post offices: Closed on June 19.
• Recreation centers: Recreation centers are open regular hours on June 19. Drop-in child care is closed.
• Trash and recycling: Town of Vienna residents will have regular trash collections. For Fairfax County collection customers, all regular county trash, recycling, yard waste and special collection services are provided on all holidays except Christmas Day. Residents with private collection services should check with their provider for schedule changes. The I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex Disposal Center will be open on June 19.