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Now in its 12th year, the region’s largest Juneteenth festival has a new location.

The Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Celebration is vacating Downtown for 2025 because Point State Park and Market Square are undergoing renovations. Instead, the free, four-day festival will take place about five miles east, in Shadyside’s Mellon Park.

The family-friendly festival, with live music, a marketplace and more starts on Juneteenth itself — Thu., June 19, a national holiday — and runs through Sun., June 22. The four music headliners are R&B acts Morris Day and the Time (June 19), Dru Hill (June 20) and Donell Jones (June 22), and rapper Jadakiss (June 23).

Founder B Marshall said last year’s festival drew some 65,000 — about 20% of them from out of town — and generated more than $5 million in economic activity. This year’s festival will host about 100 vendors of food, art, clothing and more. Taking advantage of Mellon Park’s playground and spray park, it will also include a “fun zone” for kids.

Other music acts include the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra previewing its upcoming Kings of Soul concert series, R&B acts Jon B and Hi-Five, and rapper Trina.

There’s also a youth baseball tournament, a celebrity softball game, basketball games and skills contests. Marshall said the traditional Grand Jubilee Parade, celebrating voting rights, will take place Downtown as usual on Sat., June 21, and is expected to include more than 1,000 marchers. Also Saturday, the Kelly Strayhorn Theater hosts Juneteenth speakers Tim Wise, an anti-racist scholar, and activist 19 Keys.

Marshall stressed that the event is alcohol-free and that tents will not be permitted in Mellon Park, though visitors may bring folding chairs.

Sponsors include UPMC, Peoples Gas, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and more.

Marshall had originally sought permission from the City of Pittsburgh and the state Department of Transportation to close a section of Penn Avenue near the park for security reasons. That permission was denied, and that apparently contributed to delays in the city issuing a permit for use of the park for Juneteenth. But mayoral spokesperson Olga George confirmed Friday the permit had been granted.

For more information, see the event’s Facebook page.