How to celebrate Juneteenth in Philadelphia
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Juneteenth celebrations take over Philadelphia on Thursday and throughout the weekend with festivals, performances and a block party.
The big picture: Momentum around the holiday, which honors the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas, appears to be expanding across the U.S. amid the Trump administration's backlash against civil rights and discussions on racism, Axios' Russell Contreras reports.
Context: This is the fourth year that Juneteenth has been a national holiday since President Biden signed legislation in 2021.
- Government offices, post offices, banks and the stock market are closed, while city trash and recycling pickups won't be collected.
Zoom in: Thursday's premier event in Philly is a block party at the African American Museum from noon to 7pm.
- The event, in partnership with Wawa's Welcome America and Visit Philly, features live music, a beer garden, food trucks, dance performances and family-friendly activities
- The celebration, billed "Audacious Freedom," is headlined by DJ Drama, Lady Alma, Kid Capri and Slick Rick.
More Juneteenth events happening in Philly:
Thursday
🤸♀ Please Touch Museum: Juneteenth-inspired activities are planned all day, including workshops, storytime, and performances from the Chocolate Ballerina Company.
- Tickets: $20-$22
📜 National Constitution Center: Educational programming, kids town hall with historical re-enactors and crafts. Free admission.
- 10am-5pm
🇺🇲 Museum of the American Revolution: Check out the new Revolutionary War Flags exhibit, catch a theatrical performance, and tag along on a museum tour ($10).
- Tickets: $19-$23; kids 5 and younger are free
⛓️ Eastern State Penitentiary: Stop by for discussions with guest speakers, choir performances and a family storytime. 10:45am-2:30pm.
- Tickets: $17; kids 12 and younger are free
🛍️ Pop-up Market at Independence Visitor Center: Shop Black-owned makers and small businesses from 11am-4pm.
Sunday
🥁 Juneteenth Parade and Festival: A marketplace with hundreds of vendors and a youth pavilion opens in Malcolm X Park at 10am.
- The parade steps off from the Mann Center with roughly 2,000 participants and more than two dozen floats at 12:30pm.
- Stay late for the music festival at 5pm in Malcolm X Park.
- And a Miss Juneteenth Pageant is slated for 6pm at the National Constitution Center.
🌳 Bartram's Garden: Spend the day outside in the botanical garden enjoying performances, workshops, lawn games and storytelling.
🏳️🌈 Jawnteenth: This 21+ variety show will feature drag, comedy and burlesque performances at Silk City's Lounge in Northern Liberties. 6-9pm
- Tickets: $15.95-$20