Celebrating Juneteenth across Louisiana
While state offices, banks, and business will close in observance of the Juneteenth holiday Monday, June 19, Louisiana residents will begin celebrating freedom as early as June 15
Monday, June 19, 2023, is Juneteenth, the oldest-known celebration marking the end of slavery in the United States. It was first recognized by the state of Texas dating backc to 1866. It is also known as “Freedom Day,” “Juneteenth Independence Day,” or “Emancipation Day.” While state and city offices, public universities, libraries, banks, and some small businesses will close on Monday in observance of the holiday, residents will celebrate freedom at these events:
JUNE 15
Juneteenth Panel at the LSU Museum of Art, 6pm. In honor of Juneteenth, the LSU Museum of Art is partnering with the Beta Iota Lambda and Xi Nu Lambda Chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., to host an engaging panel discussion on Thursday, June 15 at 6pm on the 5th floor of the Shaw Center for the Arts in downtown Baton Rouge. The discussion, The Professor, Preacher, and Performer: How African Americans Found Liberation Post Emancipation through the Arts, Academics, and Religion, features panelists Dr. Press Robinson, Luke St. John McKnight, and Rev. Lamar Batiste. They will unpack the post-emancipation triumphs of Black Americans. Markita Hawkins, Esq., will moderate. Free to attend
RISE St. James annual Juneteenth Teach-in, Celebration and Crawfish Boil, 5pm at Welcome Park 7260 Park St. in St James. The event will feature research and teaching presentations, music and dancing, free food/crawfish, an art showcase, on-site prizes, community empowerment and more.
June 15 -17: Madame C. J. Walker Juneteenth Celebration, Ferriday, La, Ferriday Big Haney Building and Vidalia Convention Center. The two-day festival of concerts in Northeast (Delta) Louisiana, inviting people of all backgrounds to come and enjoy historical Black culture and music. The concerts will feature an array of music genres such as Zydeco, Blues, Hip-hop, and Gospel, and bring in participants from all over Louisiana and West Mississippi. There will be festivities and minor events leading up to the festival weekend. The Louisiana Juneteenth Association is the organized body that is responsible for planning the event and selecting the sponsors.
June 16
June 16 -19: Southwest Louisiana Juneteenth Festival kicks off at 6pm at the Lake Charles Civic Center Amphitheatre, 900 Lakeshore Drive with the 5th Annual Movie Under the Stars. Saturday is Free Dental Day, Saturday, June 17, 8am-noon at the SWLA Center for Health Services, 2000 Opelousas St. in Lake Charles. At 4pm the SWLA Center for Health Scholarship Award Presentation will be held at the Golden Doors Event Center, 2013 Oak Park Blvd. On Sunday, the Juneteenth Worship service, “Music, Men, Matters” will began at 10 at the Mount Olive Baptist Church, 3007 Enterprise Blvd. On Monday, June 19, the Juneteenth Freedom Festival, Juneteenth Parade and Fireworks begins with a 8amd BBQ cook off, 10am parade from the Lake Charles Civic Center to Lakeshore Dr. 11am Pop-up shop opens. Festival concert and presentation of the Juneteenth Queens. 7pm Fireworks over the Lakefront with Rusty Metoyer and the Zydeco Krush. Visit swlahealth.org for more.
June 17.
Juneteenth Health and Healing Walk-a-Thon sponsored by Northeast Delta Human Services Authority. Begins at 7:30am at the Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum, 1051 Chennault Park Drive in Monroe followed by the Juneteenth Family and Fun Day, 9am – 1pm.
St. John the Baptist Parish Juneteenth Freedom Day. “A celebration of history, heritage, music, and liberation. Begins at 8 am with a commemorative march from Home Depot to the Parish Government Building, 1811 W. Airline Highway in LaPlace.
Tangipahoa Juneteenth Celebration hosted by the Hammond Juneteenth Committee, The Urban Market Experience UMX, Tangipahoa African American Heritage Museum, and J. Rucker’s House of Soul. 1600 Phoenix Square, 1600 Phoenix Square, Hammond. 10am – 2pm.
Top Notch’s third annual Juneteenth event, celebrating the contributions of the Black community in Creole food, art, gospel music and more. Kicks off with a jambalaya/pastalaya cook-off and car show in the parking lot of at Top Notch Creole Creations Restaurant 975 Cambridge Dr., LaPlace. On Sunday, June 18, a pop-up shop and a Juneteenth program begins at 11am, presentation of the Juneteenth honoree at noon, a Stop the Violence Prayer Vigil at 3pm, and a comedy show at 7:30pm. Tickets to the comedy show can be purchased at Top Notch.
Annual Juneteenth Folklife Celebration at the Opelousas Farmer’s Market, 828 E. Landry Street, Opelousas. This celebration highlights the folk art, heritage, and traditions of African-American culture in St. Landry Parish. Noon-6pm
7th Annual Juneteenth Black Excellence Gala and Cotillion Ball at 208 Louisiana 29 in Bunkie, 6pm. $60. Tickets on EventBrite
Juneteenth Discovery Day at the Capital Park Museum. Interactive games and activities that reveal the history of slavery and the emancipation of enslaved Africans. $5/ person www.louisianastatemuseum.org
Whitney Plantation Museum Juneteenth Freedom Festival. The free event includes entry into the museum, located at 5099 Highway 18 in Wallace, a self-guided tour of the grounds and buildings, and vendor booths featuring artwork, apparel, jewelry, and hand-crafted items. The festival also includes dance lessons for the New Orleans-based Neungola Sibo African Dance and Drum Company Inc.; health screenings. New Orleans chef and cultural ambassador Toya Boudy will host a conversation about the role that food has played in the lives of Black Louisianans. Register for the event and download the Whitney Plantation app before the day’s events at www.whitneyplantation.org
Juneteenth Celebration at Gus Young Park organized by State Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, 4200 Gus Young in Baton Rouge, noon – 4pm.
Juneteenth for Our Ancestors during the Scotland Saturdays Levitt Amp Concert Series, 8551 Scotland Ave. 5pm-9pm. Saturdays.com
Baton Rouge NAACP Freedom Fund Gala at the Crowne Plaza, 4728 Constitution Avenue. This is the organizations annual gala celebrating Black culture and excellence in the Baton Rouge community in honor of Juneteenth. This celebratory event will highlight the NAACP branch’s historical importance and will honor five outstanding community leaders in four categories: the Dr. Ernest Johnson Civil Service Award, the Trailblazer Award, Amazing Woman Award, and the Aspiring Youth Award. Also, the 2023 scholarship recipients will share how they will benefit from the NAACP Scholarship and their entrance essay that all scholarship candidates submit for award consideration. 6:30pm
JUNE 19
Old South BR Juneteenth Art and Culture Festival, 1302 Eddie Robinson Sr Dr in Baton Rouge. This in-person art, music, and culture event promises to be a fun-filled day for the whole family, with activities ranging from live performances to delicious food and drink vendors. 11am-3pm Continue the celebration into the evening at The Smokey Pit located at 1916 Dallas Dr., Baton Rouge, for the Post Event Celebration starting at 6pm.
Greater St. Charles Parish NAACP Juneteenth event, 2pm-6pm at the West Bank Bridge Park in Luling. Booth space is $30, and vendors can register by contacting 504-554-3133 or 703-371-3706.
Baton Rouge African American Museum Groundbreaking. This is a noon celebration of the relocation of the former O’Dell S Williams Then and Now African American Museum at 538 South Blvd in downtown Baton Rouge. Choose an artifact and walk it a few blocks away to the museum’s new location at 803 St. Louis St. Benefit concert with Dead Poet hosted by the Walls Project, June 29
June 23-24.
Mansfield Juneteenth Celebration. The 3-day summer event will be held at Court House Square in downtown historic Mansfield, 101 Texas Street, Mansfield, La., with hip hop, zydeco, blues and gospel music. Food vendors and children's activities presented by the Mansfield Civic Group.