DENVER (KDVR) — Juneteenth is celebrated each year on June 19 and commemorates the end of chattel slavery in the U.S., and now Congress has voted to mark the date as a federal holiday.
President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law.
The holiday began in Galveston, Texas, when enslaved people there first learned of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
More and more cities have begun in recent years to recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday, including Denver, whose council voted this year to mark the occasion as an annual commemorative holiday.
The Denver Juneteenth celebration is one of the largest in the U.S. — the Juneteenth Music Festival — and nearby cities will have celebrations this year, too.
Tuesday, June 15
- Juneteenth Music Festival: Juneteenth Eats at Cheba Hut. A portion of sales at any of the Colorado Cheba Hut locations will go toward funding the Juneteenth Music Festival’s community programs for entrepreneurs and artists.
Wednesday, June 16
- Black Pride Colorado: Strange Fruit of Black Excellence Gala. Wednesday, June 16, 8 p.m. Denver Botanic Garden.
Thursday, June 17
- Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. Fort Collins Botanic Gardens. Performances at 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets.
Friday, June 18
- Walk-up COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine clinic. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cleo Parker Robertson Dance Amphitheatre, 119 Park Avenue West.
- Juneteenth Music Festival: Juneteenth Eve Broadcast. 2-8 p.m.
- Juneteenth Music Festival: R&B Summer Kickoff featuring 112. 5:30-10 p.m. Levitt Pavilion, Denver. Tickets.
- Vaccine clinic. 5:30-10 p.m. Levitt Pavilion.
Saturday, June 19
- Juneteenth Music Festival: Parade. Staging at 9 a.m. Start at 11 a.m. Denver.
- Boulder County Juneteenth Celebration. 10 a.m. Virtual.
- Walk-up COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine clinic. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cleo Parker Robertson Dance Amphitheatre, 119 Park Avenue West.
- COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Juneteenth on Five Points. 12-6 p.m. 28th Street and Welton Street.
- Juneteenth Music Festival: Street Festival. Noon-8 p.m. Denver.
- With performances from: Danae Simone, Nat-V-Son, Dj Cyn, A Meazy, Check One’s Fonky Check’s Mix Band, DJ Dif’rent & DJ AUbreezy (Dynamic Daddy Daughter Duo, DJ brother jeff’s cultural center experience, DJ Squizzy & Rob T Drummer Set, DJ Jazzy Jeff
- Five Points of Culture: Live panels, food, pop-up Juneteenth museum. Starts 10 a.m. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, Denver.
- 10 a.m. Afro-futurism
- 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Walk-up COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine clinic. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Amphitheatre, 119 Park Avenue West.
- 12 p.m. The Entertainment Industry in Black
- 2 p.m. Black Business and the Impact of Sports
- Aurora Juneteenth Celebration. 1-5 p.m. Town Center at Aurora. Event lineup.
- Black Pride Colorado: Drag Show. Doors at 8 p.m. Showtime 10 p.m. Tracks, Denver.
Sunday, June 20
- COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Juneteenth on Five Points. 12-6 p.m. 28th Street and Welton Street.
- Juneteenth Music Festival: Street Festival. 2-8 p.m.
- With performances from: Absolute Gospel Praise Team, Deadly Penz, Conjunto Colores, Dj Cyn, Zanib. Chasing the Dream
- Black Pride Colorado: Drag Gospel Brunch. Sunday, June 20, 12 p.m. X Bar Denver.
If you notice a 2021 Juneteenth event in Colorado is missing from this list, be sure to let us know.