Juneteenth 2025 events: Things to do in the Sacramento area to celebrate the holiday

There are several events planned in the Sacramento area this week in celebration of Juneteenth, which is also known as Freedom Day. (Previous coverage in the video player above: Juneteenth celebrated at Oak Park block party)On June 19, 1865, Black people who had been enslaved in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, months after the end of the American Civil War.| MORE | A guide to what the Juneteenth holiday is and how to celebrateIn 2021, President Joe Biden designated June 19 a federal holiday, but the day has been a recognition of Black history and an opportunity for African American people to congregate and enjoy each other’s company for decades. Thursday marks the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth. Read below for a list of parties, parades and other events in our region. Sacramento Area Juneteenth Events Sacramento Juneteenth Day Party in Oak Park On Thursday, there will be a Juneteenth party at Esther’s Park, located right by Fixins Soul Kitchen in Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood. Anyone attending can expect food, vendors and music played by local DJs. The event will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and you must be 21 years or older to attend. Get tickets here.Juneteenth Art Walk in midtown SacramentoA free Juneteenth parade and art walk through Sacramento’s midtown area on Thursday will kickoff at Celebration Arts, a theatre for Black performers located at 2727 B Street. There will be stops at CapStage on J Street and at the Sofia, Home of B Street Theatre. Running until from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, there will be ceremonies, a vendor fair and music from BTU Arts’ New Orleans-stule element brass band. For a full schedule of events and detailed location information, click here. The People’s Juneteenth Kick Back in NatomasA Juneteenth kickback will be held at South Natomas Community Center Park from 5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. You can expect free food, live music, and a beer garden. Register for the free event here. Juneteenth Celebration at Ever After Wine Bar in Elk Grove Ever After Wine in Elk Grove will have a Juneteenth Event on Thursday. Entry is $12 and there will be music from DJ Pha-Zeke. Buy tickets here. A’s vs. Houston Astros: African American Heritage NightThe Athletics will be taking on the the Houston Astros on Thursday night to conclude a four-game series. The A’s are dubbing it African American Heritage Night in celebration of Juneteenth. Get tickets here. Sacramento Juneteenth Festival at Land Park William Land Park will be home to a two-day Juneteenth festival on Friday and Saturday. A gospel concert, Mardi Gras themed march, youth fashion show, theatrical performance and basketball skills camp are just some of the activities to look forward to during the celebration. For more information on the free event, click here. Placer County Juneteenth CelebrationThe 5th annual Placer County Juneteenth festival will kickoff in Rocklin on Saturday at Johnson-Springview Park. There will be food, vendors and live music at the free event. On top of that, there’s a call for people to put their baking skills to the test and enter the sweet potato pie contest. For more information, click here. Know of more venues to include? Let us know at web@kcra.com.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel