2019 Juneteenth Parade and Cultural Celebration

Juneteenth Parade

2020 Date - In-person events have been canceled due to COVID-19

Juneteenth Festival

2020 Date - In-person events have been canceled due to COVID-19

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Hosted by the Friends of the New Jersey Legacy Foundation and the City of Elizabeth, the Elizabeth Juneteenth festivities kick off Sunday with a parade. The parade begins at 2:00 p.m. at City Hall. From there, it will travel down Elizabeth Avenue to Front Street, and will end at the Elizabeth Marina. Find a spot along the parade route to enjoy the floats, community groups, and entertainers.

When the parade winds down, it’s time to join the party! Bring the whole family to the Marina for the Juneteenth Festival. Best of all, the festival is completely free. Enjoy free musical performances and free food.

Remembering the Years Before... 

Contact

For more information about the Elizabeth Juneteenth Parade and Festival, contact:
 
Mrs. Kim Nesbitt Good: 908-352-7078
Rev. George E. Britt: 201-320-3721
Mrs. Yolanda Eady Perkins: 908-220-6113

More Statewide Juneteenth Events

Don’t miss out on additional Juneteenth events in other New Jersey cities:

Prayer Service of Freedom

DATE TBD

Jazz in the Sanctuary

DATE TBD

A Short History of Juneteenth

Juneteenth is an annual holiday honoring African-American heritage and culture and commemorating the end of the Civil War and slavery in the South.
 
The news of President Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation finally reached the people of Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. That’s the date Major General Gordon Granger and his troops arrived to enforce the Executive Order outlawing slavery in the United States.

June 19th is now called Juneteenth to remember the hard-won freedom of African-Americans and the ongoing struggles and victories of the Civil Rights Movement. With a focus on achievement and cultural pride, Juneteenth festivities include community-focused events including parades, barbecues, picnics, church services, and so much more in many places across the African-American diaspora.