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  • 14 ways to celebrate Juneteenth
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14 ways to celebrate Juneteenth

Spend June 19, the day that marks the emancipation of people who had been enslaved in the United States, with area walking tours, author talks, concerts, festivals, and more.

By Kelly Magyarics June 9, 2021 at 12:02 pm

Juneteenth Celebration at Ida Lee Park

Created by the “BURG” Family Reunion Club, this daylong event in Leesburg will be a celebration but also an opportunity to educate visitors on the significance of June 19. The day includes guest speakers, a variety of musical acts including the Chuck Brown Band, food, craft beverages, and more, and runs from noon until 6 pm. 60 Ida Lee Dr. NW, Leesburg

Juneteenth Craft Fair at Harambee Books & Artworks

On June 19 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m, the only Black book store in Northern Virginia, will host authors and vendors for a Juneteenth celebration. Author John Wasowicz will release his new publication Roaches Run; Lucrecia Stasio will have an assortment of jewelry on display; Eugene Pair will debut his new book entitled Let Us Make A Man, and more. 1132 Prince St., Alexandria

Juneteenth Celebration at Frying Pan Park

The Herndon park and farm will offer families the chance to hear, see, and sample the results of African-American freedom, and enjoy hands-on activities. Participants will also get to hear a special presentation by Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz, author of Bound to the Fire: How Virginia’s Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine. Sign up online. 2739 W. Ox Rd., Herndon

Voices of Woodlawn: A Commemoration of Juneteenth

Back by popular demand, this event in Alexandria poets give voice to the erased lives of the enslaved at Woodlawn, a former plantation located in Fairfax, Virginia, that is now a historic site. Maryland poets Diane Wilbon Parks, Patrick Washington, Sylvia Dianne “Ladi Di” Beverly, and Hiram Larew confront the sadness, anger, injustice, and confusion of such a past and its haunting legacy. They are joined by poet and harmonica player Cliff Bernier in a powerfully unsettling program of witness. Register online. 9000 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria

Juneteenth Lecture at Sully Historic Site

At this free event on June 19, Dr. Richard Bell gives a lecture about the destruction of slavery in the Civil War era, focusing on the role of enslaved people and free black soldiers. 3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly

Juneteenth Celebration / Vienna

The 2021 Juneteenth Celebration will include the Inaugural Liberty Amendments Month Ceremony on June 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with live music, kids’ performers, vendors featuring Black-owned businesses and craft vendors, civic organizations, food trucks, and a book giveaway for kids. The event will be live-streamed on town and First Baptist social media, and First Baptist Church will be holding a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic during the event. 450 Orchard St. NW, Vienna

Juneteenth at Lucasville School

On June 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., join the Prince William County Historic Preservation Division in honor of Juneteenth to learn about the celebration marking the emancipation of enslaved African Americans throughout the South. Visit the one-room schoolhouse to learn about the development of freedmen communities throughout Prince William County and the progression of education throughout Prince William County throughout Reconstruction and the Jim Crow Era. 10516 Godwin Dr., Manassas

Prince William African-American History Car Caravan Tour

On June 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., join local historians on a daylong tour exploring the unique and powerful stories behind the African-American history of Prince William County. You will travel the county, stepping back in time from the 1800s to the 1960s and stopping at many special and sometimes forgotten sites, to learn about the lifestyle, challenges, and the power of education. Multiple locations

Alexandria Black History Museum: Preserving Their Names Online Exhibition

On May 25 (the one-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd), the Alexandria Black History Museum released an online exhibition called Preserving Their Names. Part of their Black Lives Remembered Collecting Initiative, this exhibit is a rebranding of the George Floyd Collecting Initiative that began after Floyd’s murder in 2020. Virtual

Juneteenth Celebration: Day of Jubilee

As part of the “Sounds of Hope & Harmony” Secret Garden concert series, Classical Movements will host an uplifting and festive musical celebration of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, with the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts at The Rectory at Princess Street. Featuring texts by Langston Hughes and Martin Luther King, Jr. and music by trailblazing composers Margaret Bonds and Adolphus Hailstork, the show will be a joyful and reflective celebration through song, dance, and narration. The event is June 17 at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m, admission is $42 per person. 711 Princess St., Alexandria

“Tell Me Your Name” Tour at Carlyle House

Join Carlyle House Historic Park staff on June 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for a tour focusing on the experiences of the enslaved community at Carlyle House and the city founder’s plantations. The guided tour will explore the historical context of slavery in 18th-century Alexandria and the importance of ongoing research efforts to connect with descendants. Reservations are required as space is limited, and admission is $10 per person. 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria

Manumission Tour Company Tours

Manumission Tour Company curates guided cultural heritage tours designed to highlight Alexandria’s extensive African American History. Owned by a fourth-generation Alexandrian, this company offers weekend guided walking and bus tours, offered on various times on June 19 and weekends throughout June. Admission is $15 per adult and $12 per child. Meeting locations vary throughout Old Town

Juneteenth Celebration with Carlyle House and The Athenaeum

Celebrate Juneteenth with Carlyle House Historic Park and the Athenaeum on June 19 from noon to 5 p.m. Join the celebration to mark the day the Emancipation Proclamation reached the last people held in slavery within the former Confederate States, two years after it had taken effect. This free community event of live music, hands-on activities, art, history and poetry readings will be held on the lawn and gardens of Carlyle House. 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria

Under the Same Roof: Enslaved and Free Servants at the Lee-Fendall House

This Juneteenth at 2 p.m., explore the Lee-Fendall House from the perspectives of the enslaved and free African Americans who lived and worked in the home as domestic servants, both before and after the Civil War. Hear the stories of how they built and shaped the Lee-Fendall House over the course of its history. For your safety and for those around you, face masks are required. The tour is limited to eight participants; tickets must be purchased in advance and are $10 per person. 614 Oronoco St., Alexandria

Feature image, © Michael Geissinger/stock.adobe.com

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