Jun 16, 2023 - Things to Do

5 things to do in Chicago for Juneteenth

Animated illustration of a pattern of Juneteenth flags and Pan-African flags, waving. — Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Chicago will celebrate Juneteenth in just a few days.

Why it matters: The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, received news that Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier.

Flashback: President Joe Biden made Juneteenth the 11th federal holiday in 2021 in response to a summer of protests following George Floyd's murder.

Gov. JB Pritzker had made it a state holiday days before. So most state offices will be closed Monday.

Here are some ways to celebrate the holiday:

Start with some wellness with Peace Runners in Garfield Park tomorrow at 8am for a 5K.
Connect with community at a resource fair at Truman College tomorrow at 11am.
Get shopping at Promontory in Hyde Park Monday at 2pm and celebrate Black businesses.
Grab a bite from the grill at the DuSable's Juneteenth Community BBQ Monday starting at 10am.

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5 things to do in Chicago for Juneteenth

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