Editor's note:
Several weekend Juneteenth events were canceled in Akron due to safety concerns. They are marked as such in the listing below. The City of Akron announced it will hold a Juneteenth event at the John S. Knight Center on Wednesday, June 19. Signal Akron will share details when they become available.
Starting this weekend, the state of Ohio will host an extensive list of Juneteenth 2024 events, from family-friendly festivals and a bus tour of African American historical sites to panel discussions and parades. Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati. Akron to Oberlin.
In 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday. Three years later, our nation is still trying to decide the best way to enjoy June 19, from celebrating to learning to remembering.
Below are options to consider across Ohio. Know an event we should highlight? Email gary@signalakron.org.
Akron
Spike Lee’s ‘Crooklyn’ at The Nightlight
What: Three screenings of the classic movie (3 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 8:15 p.m.). Half of ticket sales will go directly to the Harambee Summer Camp. When: June 19. Where: The Nightlight, 30 N High St.
Juneteenth Celebration Saturday Family Celebration
What: This free event is open to all ages. Entertainment includes live performances, crafts and games and a downtown Akron Black-owned business vendor fair, followed by a free concert at the Lock 3 Back Yard featuring the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. When: June 22 at 3 p.m. Where: Cascade Plaza.
2024 Downtown Akron Juneteenth Weekend
What: Celebrate Juneteenth with live music, crafts and games, activities and a mixer to get to know some of downtown Akron’s Black-owned businesses. When: June 21- 22.
CANCELED: 26st Annual Akron Juneteenth Festival
What: The City of Akron and the Akron Black Coalition host the 26st annual Juneteenth festival. The festivities feature a Black Business open market, a teen talent show and an ancestral balloon release. When: June 15. Where: Stoner/Hawkins Park, 1201 S. Hawkins Ave.
Let’s Celebrate Juneteenth
What: Essay contest, drum roll, door prizes, vendors, and the play “What’s the Meaning of Juneteenth?” When: June 18, 3 p.m. Where: Maple Valley Library, 1187 Copley Rd.
Akron Urban League Juneteenth Celebration
What: Enjoy performance by ST1XX (@st1xx_18). When: June 19, 1 p.m.
Juneteenth-Celebrating The History and Importance
What: The Odom Boulevard Branch Library presents an educational workshop that deeply dives into the significance of Juneteenth, its impact on culture and ways to commemorate the holiday. When: June 17. Where: 600 Vernon Odom Blvd.
Honoring our Past. Celebrating the Present. Renewing Faith in the Future
What: The John Brown Institute of the Summit County Historical Society of Akron will partner with several organizations for an evening of activities, including a bus tour of African American historical sites around the city, a hike to the John Brown monument and a spoken word performance by Xposyur. When: June 19. Where: 530 Copley Rd.
What’s Happening on the Bloc Juneteenth Celebration
What: Grand opening of the Freedom House that is dedicated to empowering people looking to change the system and use their voices to impact the future of their community. When: June 15. Where: 848 W Exchange St.
CANCELED: West Akron Parade and Juneteenth, Father’s Day Celebration
What: Village Keepers of Ohio INC, a charitable organization focusing on uplifting community members, hosts a parade celebrating Juneteenth and Father’s Day. When: June 16. Where: Kerr Park, 985 Seward Ave.
CANCELED: Ward 5 Fifth Annual Juneteenth Festival
What: B&V Family Community Resource House presents Ward 5’s 5th annual Juneteenth festival with a live performance by the Rayr Image Band. When: June 15. Where: Joy Park Community Center, 825 Fuller St.
Cleveland
15th Annual Juneteenth African Dance & Drum Fest: A Celebration of History, Music, Dance and Culture
What: Join Djapo Cultural Arts Institute and Cleveland Public Theatre to honor history and legacy of Juneteenth. When: June 14-16. Where: Pivot Center for Art, Dance and Expression, 2937 W. 25th St.
United Black Fund Greater Cleveland Annual Meeting & GUMBO Party
What: At the United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland’s annual meeting, the organization will unveil its vision for advancing racial equality for Northeast Ohio’s Black communities. Event will feature an in-depth genealogy conversation followed by a house-party-inspired performance by GUMBO. This is a free community event. When: June 19, 5:30 p.m. Where: Truss Event Venue, 2061 W 25th St.
Culture, Community & Liberation: A Juneteenth Celebration
What: Literary Cleveland partners with ThirdSpace Action Lab to present a one-day arts festival dedicated to Black history, freedom and togetherness through poetry, music and cultural community celebration. The program is open to ages 18 and up. Registration gives attendees space to participate in every activity. When: June 22, noon. Where: ThirdSpace Action Lab, 1464 E. 105th St.
Columbus
What: A panel discussion on Black creativity and Juneteenth. Scheduled panelists include Sheri Neale, co-founder of Maroon Arts Group; Ajanaé Dawkins, poet, Urban Arts Space community-artist-in-residence; and Stevie “Views” Johnson, professor of Creative Practice in Popular Music/Hip Hop. Catered meal and spoken word performance included. When: June 13. Where: Hale Center, 154 W. 12th Ave. in the MLK Auditorium, Room 132.
27th Annual Juneteenth Ohio Festival
What: Juneteenth Ohio celebrates cultural unity, enrichment and ethnic diversity during this weekend event. Activities include a college fair, musical performances, food trucks, a wellness pavilion, a fashion show, a classic car show and more. When: June 15-16 (Free admission before 3 p.m.). Where: Genoa Park, 303 West Broad St.
What: King Arts Complex celebrates Juneteenth with in-person activities, including a community yard sale, poetry slam and virtual programs, 20 and Odd commemorating 400 years of Africans in America through dance and drama and the Lucy Depp Experience that explores a family’s lineage. When: June 19. Where: King Arts Complex, 835 Mt. Vernon Ave.
What: This city-wide, family-friendly event takes place in the heart of Bronzeville, Columbus, and features entertainment, vendors and a Black-owned food truck. When: June 15. Where: 925 Mt Vernon Ave.
What: United Skates Columbus presents a family roller skating event celebrating freedom and community. When: June 19. Where: United Skates of America, 3362 Refugee Rd.
GGC’s Pre-Juneteenth Kick-Off Celebration & We Grow: NES Herb Garden Wksp
What: Enjoy a cooking demonstration and tasting menu. Learn new ways to help your garden flourish with this pre-Juneteenth kick-off celebration. When: June 13. Where: 1201 Hildreth Ave.
What: The festival will illustrate an 1890s Juneteenth observation in the Ohio Village. Activities will include historical interpretations, storytelling and dance. When: June 16. Where: 800 E 17th Ave.
Empress Energy: A Juneteenth Dance Celebration
What: Celebrate Juneteenth and the empowerment of Black women through dance and music. When: June 21. Where 144 N Wall St.
What: Central Ohio African American Chamber of Commerce and Columbus Urban League features food, vendors and line dancing at this community event. When: June 19. Where: 788 Mount Vernon Ave.
What: A day of nature, art and community featuring guest speaker Dudley Edmonson, the photographer and author of “The Black and Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places,” who will also offer beginner’s tips on identifying wildflowers. The presentation will be followed by a guided walk through the park. Advance registration required. When: June 16. Where: Grange Insurance Audubon Center, 505 W Whittier St.
Jubilee Day Festival at Ohio Village
What: Scheduled activities include Art in the Park, a film screening and panel with Black Ohio filmmakers, historical interpretations, storytelling and dance performances. When: June 16. Where: Ohio Village/Ohio History Center, 800 East 17th Ave.
What: A day of family-friendly activities that celebrate and commemorate freedom. This event is a collaboration between the Ohio History Connection, the Maroon Arts Group, Artfluential and Canvaas. When: June 15. Where: 835 Mt. Vernon Ave.
Cincinnati
What: The 37th annual Juneteenth festival begins with a traditional parade of flags representing the African diaspora. The parade is followed by family-friendly activities, including horseback riding, education pavilions, historical reenactments and more. When: July 15 and 16. Where: Eden Park Drive.
Paloozanoire Juneteeth Block Party
What: Paloozanoire, an organization focusing on enriching the lives of people of color throughout the Midwest, hosts its annual Juneteenth party. Guests can mingle at an designated outdoor refreshment area and enjoy entertainment, food, drinks and fireworks. When: July 15 Where: The Banks East Freedom Way.
What: Join the National Underground Freedom Center for its Juneteenth Jubilee. The celebration offers extended hours and free admission to The Freedom Center. The jubilee will also include a march down the banks to the Ohio River, the symbolic River Jordan over which thousands of enslaved people crossed into freedom on the Underground Railroad. When: June 19. Where: 50 East Freedom Way.
What: Kickoff Juneteenth with good vibes and good music on the Destiny Yacht. Black Cincy is bringing day party energy with sounds from DJ Hope playing the latest Hip Hop, R&B and Afrobeats. When: June 15 Where: 100 O Fallon Ave. in Dayton, KY.
What: Four Black community leaders sit on the panel and speak on their personal experience with Juneteenth and what it means to them. When: June 22. Where: The Columns, 109 W. Elder St.
Cincinnati’s Official Juneteenth Parade
What: The city of Cincinnati hosts its third annual parade under the theme of “Roots and Rhythm,” which features an eclectic mix of traditional African beats and contemporary music. When: June 16. Where: the intersection of W. Court and Linn streets.
Oberlin
What: This year’s theme is “Marching to Freedom through Changing of the Guards.” Activities include a parade at noon; access to the Round House; storytelling by Mary Ann Harris; a reading of the Emancipation Proclamation; a DJ: children’s activities and more. When: June 15. Where: George A. Abram Pavilion on Edison Street.
What: Most of the college’s scheduled events will occur during the festival on Edison Street between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., but at 6:30 p.m., festivities will move to Westwood Cemetery for a Mafaa ceremony honoring all who have been enslaved – and a potter’s field service. When: June 15. Where: Westwood Cemetery, 455 Morgan St.