List: Juneteenth events happening in the Bay Area this week

List of Bay Area Juneteenth Events

Events happening in the Bay Area celebrating Juneteenth.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Juneteenth, a celebration honoring a pivotal moment in American history, has several events celebrating the day in the Bay Area. Below is a list of some this week. 

• Hella Juneteenth Festival: At the Oakland Museum, from noon to 5 p.m., an annual Black-led festival will have Black-owned vendors, Black chefs, music, art, and kids' games. General admission tickets cost $20 and $95 for VIP.
• Freedom Run: 5KIn Oakland, meeting up at Snow Park, Renegade and Town Strides are hosting a 5K walk or run around Lake Merritt from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. as a "tribute to Black resilience, joy, and the freedom to move through the world on our terms."
• 2025 San Francisco Juneteenth Parade: On June 22, in San Francisco, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. the city is holding its annual parade starting on Market and Spear Street. A celebration will take place at Fulton Plaza following the parade. The parade and celebration are free to attend.
• R&B at the W: In San Francisco on June 22, local Black artists will perform to "celebrate and amplify the voices that have defined the R&B genre." The event will take place at 181 Third Street from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• The San Francisco Black Film Festival: Thursday, June 19 through Sunday, June 22, films celebrating African American cinema and the African diaspora will be showcased at various venues across San Francisco.
• Thug Therapy: On June 18 at Dezi's lounge in Oakland, acclaimed rapper and community activist, Mistah F.A.B will be hosting an event regarding Men's Mental Health Awareness Month with award-winning director Ryan Coogler as the guest speaker. The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• The City of Brentwood Juneteenth Celebration in the Park: From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Brentwood City Hall, live performances from local performing arts groups, food trucks from local chefs, kid activities, and craft vendors will be out in celebration of the holiday.
• Juneteenth Aviation Celebration: From noon to 5 p.m. at the Palo Alto Airport, a showcase of electric aircraft technology, aircraft tours, food trucks, wine tasting, and discovery flights with H55 pilots will take place on Thursday, June 19.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is an annual celebration commemorating the official end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and told enslaved African Americans that the Civil War had ended, and they were free. This was two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. 

One hundred and sixty years later, Americans continue to celebrate the holiday, which is now federally reserved as of 2021 by the 117th U.S. Congress and President Joe Biden.

Juneteenth became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day.