Juneteenth 2023: New Orleans events observe with festivals, parades, block parties, more

NEW ORLEANS (NOLA WEEKEND) - This weekend several New Orleans-area events will honor Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. on June 19.

This year, the holiday is being observed with activities around the New Orleans area such as festivals, a second-line, panel discussions and free admission at a local museum.

Below is a list of community events commemorating Juneteenth in 2023. Check back for updates as we get them. Let us know about any other events here.

New Orleans African-American Museum - All June - The New Orleans African-American Museum celebrates Juneteenth by offering free admission to the museum and its historic gardens for the entire month of June. The museum is located at 1418 Governor Nicholls Street in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans. Visit the website for more information.

Bayou Road Juneteenth Block Party - Saturday, June 17; 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. - Businesses along the 2400 to 2500 block of New Orleans’ historic Bayou Road come together for an all-day Juneteenth block party with guest speakers, entertainment, community art, adult and kid activities, interactive installations, vendors and additional programming throughout the day. DJ Ally Bea will spin tunes for the block party from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Check the Bayou Road Business Association Instagram page for updates.

Juneteenth Freedom Festival at Whitney Plantation - Saturday, June 17; 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. - The historic Whitney Plantation Museum in Edgard, Louisiana will commemorate Juneteenth with a free all-ages festival. The event features dance lessons from the Neungola Sibo African Dance and Drum Company, Inc., of New Orleans. Guests can also take advantage of health screenings, vendor booths and food vendors from neighboring parishes. New Orleans-based chef, cookbook author, and cultural ambassador Toya Boudy, will facilitate a conversation about the role that food has played in the lives and families of Black Louisianians since they arrived. In honor of the holiday, the plantation will waive museum admission and allow guests to take self-guided tours. Visit the website for more details.

Krewe of Athena Juneteenth Celebration - Saturday, June 17; Noon to 5 p.m. - The Krewe of Athena Mardi Gras organization hosts its inaugural Juneteenth celebration at 2010 Woodmere Blvd. in Harvey. The theme, “Building on the Promise of Freedom,” will include a series of activities and events open to the public. Radio personality Uptown Angela hosts the event with live performances from Teresa B, Hotboy Ronald, Partners-N-Crime, TBC Brass Band, Dance IHC and Kelly’s School of Dance. There will also be food and merchandise vendors, health screenings, kid activities and prize-winning tournaments.

Feed the Second Line Juneteenth Celebration - Saturday, June 17; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. - The Krewe of Red Beans’ nonprofit organization, Feed the Second Line, hosts a family-friendly Juneteenth celebration with dancing, drumming and youth activities at Beanlandia at 3300 Royal Street. The event features performances from Mama Jamilah, Andrea Peoples Dance Theatre and the Luther Gray Congo Square Drum Circle. Visit the Instagram page for updates.

Juan LaFonta Juneteenth Celebration - Saturday, June 17; 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - New Orleans attorney Juan LaFonta hosts a family-friendly celebration on the New Orleans Lakefront. The event will take place behind Lakefront Arena between Franklin Avenue and the Seabrook Bridge and will include limited free food and drink. A fireworks show will take place at 8 p.m.

Celebrating Juneteenth at NOMA - Sunday, June 18; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. - In honor of Juneteenth, admission to the New Orleans Museum of Art is free to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Recognizing the legacy of liberation that Juneteenth represents, NOMA invites guests to reflect on the theme of “movement” as they engage with artworks in the galleries and Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Visit the website for more information.

Afro Freedom/Afro Fest - Sunday, June 18; 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. - In honor of Juneteenth, James Beard-nominated chef Serigne Mbaye of Dakar NOLA organizes Afro Freedom/Afro Fest at Grow Dat youth farm located in New Orleans City Park. The event brings together some of New Orleans’ best chefs to cook a communal meal, mostly over live fire, much as the ancestors did. The event’s theme will focus on the beauty of the land and the food it produces while paying homage to the ancestors. The day begins with cocktail hour at 3 p.m. and dinner at 4 p.m. Tickets are $165 and can be purchased via the Grow Dat Youth Farm website.

Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration - Monday, June 19; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Downtown Covington hosts a Juneteenth kicking off with a parade followed by a program and resource fair. The Freedom Parade rolls through downtown Covington at 10 a.m. starting at Peter Atkins Park and ending at Fuhrmann Auditorium. A program and resource fair follows, beginning with a ceremony at 11:30 a.m. The program features speakers, spoken word performances, a vendor fair, arts and crafts, a maypole dance and a roundtable discussion. All events are free and open to the public. For details and information on how to participate, follow the Facebook page.

NOLA Juneteenth Fest - Monday, June 19; 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. - The New Orleans Juneteenth Festival commemorates the holiday with a free event in Congo Square at Armstrong Park. This year, the theme for the celebration is “Black Love and Family Structure.” The festival’s second line kicks off at 1:30 p.m. Artists such as Water Seed, Keedy Black and Tonya Boyd-Cannon are part of the lineup. For more information about the festival, visit the website.