In honor of Juneteenth in Washington State, spend the holiday celebrating with family-friendly festivals, live music, maker markets, art exhibits and much more.
June 15: Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
Tacoma
Taking place June 15, 5 to 8 p.m., at Tollefson Plaza in Downtown Tacoma, this family-friendly celebration will feature good food, live music and exciting performances. Deputy Mayor Kristina Walker, C. Ivan Johnson, Poet Laureate Christian Paige and more are expected to make appearances. Event-goers are invited can add handprints to the Black Lives Matter mural, as well as visit the Tacoma Art Museum with free entry during the event.
Cost: Free.
For more information: www.cityoftacoma.org.
June 16: Issaquah Highlands Global Grub and Groove Juneteenth Celebration
Issaquah
Part of Issaquah Highlands Global Grub and Groove summer series, Juneteenth will be celebrated in the Issaquah Highlands urban village on Friday, June 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. Now in its third year as an annual event, it is planned by volunteer community members and is set to take place at Village Green Park (or Blakely Hall, pending weather). The event features live music from Michael Powers, Juneteenth traditional foods and a community art project. Festival-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for enjoying the entertainment. Anthony and Marlie Love, vloggers of Traveling While Black, will be featured guests.
Cost: Free.
For more information: issaquahhighlands.com.
June 17 to June 19: Juneteenth Week at Northwest African American Museum
Seattle
Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) presents Juneteenth Week, which kicks off Saturday, June 17, with Youth Day, featuring live storytelling, a soccer clinic, book giveaways, a game show and more. After Sunday’s NAAM Film Festival, featuring five inspiring documentaries about Juneteenth, Black history and liberation, the holiday weekend concludes with a Juneteenth Skate Party & Community Day on Monday, June 19.
Cost: Free.
For more information: www.naamnw.org/juneteenth.
June 18: 41st Annual Juneteenth Celebration
Olympia
Head out to the 41st Annual Juneteenth Celebration on June 18, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., to savor a free barbecue lunch, yards games, live music, free haircuts courtesy of the Olympia Barber School and time to connect with the community to honor Juneteenth in Washington. The event takes place at Regional Athletic Complex.
Cost: Free.
For more information: cityoflacey.org/juneteenth-celebration.
June 19: Freedom Flows at MoPop
Seattle
On June 19 at 7 p.m., Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop) in Seattle presents Freedom Flows, a night celebrating 50 years of hip-hop history, fashion and sound. This Juneteenth in Washington event premieres the pop-up exhibit, My Mic Sounds Nice: Hip-Hop Feminism in History, alongside MoPOP’s Online Hip-Hop Collection Vault curated by Associate Curator Adeerya Johnson. The event also includes dancing, panels with MC Sha-Rock and DJ Lady Love, music by DJ Yaddy and a freestyle rap battle led by Jarobi White from A Tribe Called Quest. The event is for those 21-plus.
Cost: $10 for members; $15 for general public.
For more information: www.mopop.org/freedom-flows.
June 19: Juneteenth Market & Mixer
Seattle
From 1 to 7 p.m. on June 19, stop by the Juneteenth Market & Mixer, during which Made Space Seattle and Communion Restaurant take over the corner of 24th and Union to celebrate Black culture, art, innovation and joy. Event-goers will mix, mingle and jam out with a curated lineup of DJs, chefs, makers, artists and business owners.
Cost: Free.
To RSVP: allevents.in.