Festivals, concerts and lectures are planned throughout Arkansas this weekend to mark Juneteenth, which marks the day the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free.
Juneteenth is celebrated as a federal holiday on Friday. In Arkansas, Juneteenth is marked as a state memorial day on Saturday. Events are held throughout the month to commemorate Juneteenth.
Juneteenth commemorates the anniversary of Union soldiers announcing the end of slavery on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, after their Civil War victory over the Confederacy, and is now observed annually on June 19.
Here’s some of the events occurring around Arkansas this weekend to mark Juneteenth:
Friday
Juneteenth in Da Rock Summit — 9 a.m. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Little Rock
This daylong event includes a conversation with Elizabeth Eckford, Carlotta Walls LaNier and Terrance Roberts, who were among the nine Black students who desegregated Little Rock Central High in 1957. Other sessions include a tribute to poet Maya Angelou. More information is available here.
3rd Annual Juneteenth CommUnity CookOut — 12 p.m. Twin Springs Park, Siloam Springs
This free celebration will feature food, music and vendors as the Siloam Springs community honors culture, freedom and history. More information is available here.
2nd Annual Festive March & Cookout — 1:30 p.m. south Fayetteville
Presented by NWA Black Heritage, the march begins at N. Willow Ave and E. Spring St. and ends at the Walker Park splash pad. The march through Fayetteville’s historic Black community will feature the Golden Thunder Drumline from Pine Bluff and horseriders in honor of the late Otis Parker. More information is available here.
A Juneteenth Celebration! — 4 p.m. Spring Street Studios, Fayetteville
Let’s Talk NWA will host an outdoor cookout-styled event that includes free food, music, prizes and fellowship. The family-friendly celebration is scheduled for 4 to 9 p.m. at 704 S. Washington Ave. More information is available here.
Juneteenth in the Bluff — 5 p.m. downtown Pine Bluff
This arts and culture festival will include live music, local vendors, food and more. Additional information is available here.
Juneteenth Fireworks Celebration — 8:30 p.m. University Lions Park, Jonesboro
Juneteenth in Jonesboro will wrap up its weeklong celebration with a fireworks display. Gates open at 8:30 p.m. and fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m. More information is available here.
Saturday
30th Annual NWA Juneteenth Celebration — 11 a.m. The Ramble, Fayetteville
The University of Arkansas and NWA Juneteenth Planning Committee will host their annual celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 255 S. West Ave in Fayetteville. The free community event includes live music, games giveaways and activities for families. More information is available here.
6th Annual Freedom Festival — 3 p.m. Luther George Park, Springdale
Freedom Festival will include a kid’s zone with games and activities, a vendor market featuring local entrepreneurs and businesses, horse rides, and performances by Hurricane Chris, Rose Royce, and GS Boyz. The family-friendly event is presented by Music Moves, a nonprofit organization with a mission to make Black music accessible to the community. More information is available here.
Juneteenth in Da Rock Street Festival — all day, Historic 9th Street District, Little Rock
This daylong event includes a street festival, stage performances and a kids zone. More information and registration links are available here.
Hot Springs Juneteenth Celebration — 4 p.m. Farmers Market, Hot Springs
This event will feature entertainment, local vendors and food. More information is available here.
Sunday
Harmonizing in Arkansas: Spirituals — 2 p.m. Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock
This event celebrates traditional spirituals composed between 1619 and 1865. It will feature the chief curator of the National Museum of African American Music and a performance by the Golden Saints Choir of Saint Mark Baptist Church. Information and registration links are available here.
