By Anne Levin
This Friday is Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. after the Civil War. In Princeton and the surrounding areas, there are several opportunities to celebrate on and around the day.
It was on June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, that enslaved African Americans in Texas were told they were free. African Americans have celebrated that day since the late 1800s. On June 19, 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday.
Princeton events begin on Thursday, June 18 at 12 p.m. with a flag raising at Monument Hall. Nearby in Lawrence Township, a short community observance will be held at the Municipal Building, 2207 Lawrenceville Road (Route 206). The one-hour program includes remarks by local officials, a flag-raising ceremony, and reflections on the history of the day. Light refreshments will be provided.
Also on Thursday, the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center will hold a commemorative program, followed on Friday by a community cookout and on Sunday by a parade along George Street and Remsen Avenue. The festivities end with a festival at Recreation Park, where the Vulcan Pioneers of New Brunswick will hold a festival. Visit njpac.org.
A special Juneteenth Nature Walk is being held Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, starting at Mountain Lakes House, 57 Mountain Avenue. The Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) Stewardship Team will lead the stroll. “The guided walk offers an opportunity to honor the legacy of Juneteenth while connecting with the natural world and reflecting on the importance of access to green spaces, stewardship, and community,” reads a statement from FOPOS. Visit fopos.org to sign up.
Several Juneteenth events are planned by the Municipality of Princeton, Morven Museum and Garden, and the Princeton Festival, on the Morven grounds, 55 Stockton Street. From 2-5:30 p.m. on Friday, an exhibit honoring Harriet Powers, a Revolutionary quilter, is on view at Morven’s Stockton Education Center courtesy of the Princeton Sankofa Stitchers Modern Quilt Guild. From 5-7 p.m., a Community Partners Showcase featuring Art Against Racism, the Historical Society of Princeton, Morven, Racial Justice Ministry of Princeton, Passage Theatre, Princeton Parents for Black Children, and the YWCA of Princeton is on display inside the museum. Admission is free. Tipple & Rose provides refreshments. Princeton University Professor Rochelle Ellis follows with a talk, “Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement,” at 5:30 p.m. More information is at morven.org.
Under the Princeton Festival tent at 7 p.m., vocalists Capathia Jenkins and Aisha de Haas will perform songs of jazz icons including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Billie Holiday, accompanied by the Princeton Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Lucas Waldin. Visit princetonsymphony.org/festival for tickets.
The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM), 189 Hollow Road in Skillman, celebrates on Saturday from 12-2 p.m. with a family-friendly event “that aims to educate, celebrate, and promote unity and cohesion within our culturally diverse community,” according to its website. SSAAM is central New Jersey’s only Black history museum, and tells the story of the culture, experiences, and contributions of the African American community of the Sourland Mountain Region.
Planned is live Gospel music, original plays, interactive games, and lots of food including vegan options. The day will also feature the All Stars: Black Baseball in New Jersey and Beyond, highlighting the legacy of African American players through artifacts, photographs, and personal stories. Admission is $25 online, $28 at the venue; $15 online for kids 14 and under, $18 at the venue. Visit ssaamuseum.org.
Mercer County Park in West Windsor holds its sixth annual Juneteenth celebration on Saturday from 12-8 p.m. on the festival grounds, 1638 Old Trenton Road. Live entertainment, food vendors, community resources, kids’ activities, and a health and wellness pavilion are planned. Also at the park, a Freedom Day Bike Ride is offered for all levels including 75, 50, and 35-mile options as well as a ride for novices. Three fully-stocked rest stops are provided. Visit trainerday.com.
At the Allentown Methodist Church, 23 Church Street in Allentown, public historian Sue Kozel presents “Say Our Names: African American Families Emerging from Slavery in Upper Freehold and Allentown, 1770s to 1830s,” on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Kozel excavated African American names from various original historical documents, and will share details about several free Black families from Allentown and Upper Freehold who were granted their freedom. Light refreshments will be served. Visit McCormicknj@aol.com.
The 2026 Juneteenth Parade in Philadelphia kicks off at 12:30 p.m. from Highmark Mann on South Concourse Drive before flowing down 52nd Street and ending at Malcolm X Park on 52nd and Pine streets. Previous parades have attracted more than 25,000 onlookers, there to watch the floats, performances, and other activities. Food trucks, health and wellness, a music festival, and a car show and rolling car museum cap the event. Visit ourphilly.org/events.
Musical theater buffs making the trip to Manhattan can attend a free concert on Friday from 4-5:30 p.m. at Duffy Square, right in the middle of the Times Square Theater District. Hosted by Corbin Bleu, the concert features an all-Black Broadway cast performing numbers from 17 shows including Hamilton, Wicked, and MJ, all accompanied by a live orchestra. Actor/dancer/choreographer Debbie Allen will be honored with the 2026 Juneteenth Legacy Award. Visit broadwayworld.com for more information.