Celebrate Juneteenth all week long
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Photo Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Billie Weiss/Getty Images
Pittsburgh's Juneteenth celebrations go beyond Thursday's holiday, with concerts, a parade, film screenings and sporting events happening through the end of the week.
The big picture: Juneteenth commemorates the day on June 19, 1865, when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas — last in the American South — learned they were free, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
- "Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, but it's also a celebration of CommUnity — of neighbors coming together to honor African American history, uplift one another and build a stronger, more united Pittsburgh," said Mayor Ed Gainey in a statement.
By the numbers: Last year's Juneteenth festival drew 65,000 people and generated more than $5 million in economic activity for the region, Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Celebration founder B Marshall told WESA.
Catch up quick: The Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Celebration was moved from Downtown to Mellon Park in Shadyside this year due to ongoing renovations at Point State Park and Market Square.
- Over 200 small businesses and other vendors will fill a four-day festival at Mellon Park.
Pro tip: Organizers for the Mellon Park festivities encourage attendees to get dropped off or take public transit since parking will be limited.
- Some parking available at East Liberty and Bakery Square lots, and the Chatham University lot off of Fifth Avenue.
Wednesday
📽️ Flagstaff Hill and Schenley Plaza in Oakland are hosting free outdoor screenings of "Fences," the August Wilson adaptation set in Pittsburgh. The film stars Denzel Washington. Showing starts at dusk.
Thursday
🎺 Main Juneteenth event and Black Music Celebration at Mellon Park. Morris Day and the Time, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and others will perform. 4-10pm. Free.
Friday
🥎 Celebrity softball game with local community leaders and activists at Mellon Park Field #3. Played in homage to the former great Pittsburgh-area Negro League teams, the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays. Starts at 4:30pm.
🎷 Mellon Park music performances continue. Headlined by Dru Hill with Kut Klose and Jon B. 4-10pm. Free.
Saturday
🥁 Grand Jubilee Parade will wind through Centre, Fifth and Liberty avenues in Downtown. 11am-1pm.
⚾️ Juneteenth YouthFest activities including a baseball tournament start late morning in Mellon Park. 11am-4pm.
Sunday
🏀 YouthFest basketball tournaments conclude with championship games in Mellon Park. 11am-6pm.
🎤 The Black Music Celebration concludes with a gospel presentation, performances by Sunshine Anderson, Trina and Jadakiss, and other closeout activities. 4-10pm. Free.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to remove a reference to WAMO Day, which is on June 28.