Juneteenth Festival With Fireworks Planned In Prince William County

WOODBRIDGE, VA — Prince William County will observe Juneteenth with a Juneteenth & Me Festival in Woodbridge on Thursday.

The festival will be held from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at Pfitzner Stadium, 7 County Complex Court in Woodbridge. The event will open with a procession of African dance troupe and high school drummers, followed by speakers, live musical performances by local talent, sets by local DJs, arts and crafts for all ages, booths from county departments and organizations, food and local vendors and workshops. Featured performers are Chocolate Factory and The Chuck Brown Band. The event will conclude with a fireworks finale.

"This festival is about more than celebration, it’s about connection," said Maria Burgos, equity and inclusion officer for Prince William County. "Juneteenth gives us the opportunity to reflect, to honor Black history, and to elevate the many voices, traditions, and experiences that shape Prince William County."

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

• Prince William County government offices: Closed on June 19.
• Prince William County courts: Closed on June 19.
• Prince William County Schools: The school year has ended, and June 19 is a staff holiday.
• Department of Motor Vehicles: Closed on June 19.
• Libraries: Closed on June 19.
• Metro: Metrorail will operate on a Saturday holiday schedule from 5 a.m. to midnight on June 19.
• OmniRide: There will be no OmniRide Express on June 19, while OmniRide Metro Express and OmniRide Local & East-West Express will have regular service.
• Parks and recreation: Sharron Baucom Dale City Recreation Center is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Chinn Aquatics & Fitness Center is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Pat White Center at Ben Lomond is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Pools: Birchdale Pool, Graham Park Pool, Hammill Mill Pool and Veterans Park Pool & Waterslide are open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on June 19. Waterworks Waterpark is open from 11 a .m. to 6 p.m.
• Post offices: Closed on June 19.
• Trash and recycling: Residents with private collection services should check with their provider for schedule changes.
• Virginia Railway Express: VRE operates on an S schedule on June 19.