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Juneteenth ‒ also known as Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day and Freedom Day ‒ falls on a Thursday this year and will be marked in Knoxville with festivals, a parade, music and other activities on and around June 19 to celebrate Black freedom.

Officially declared a Tennessee state holiday two years ago − and a federal holiday four years ago − Juneteenth will be observed by federal, city of Knoxville and Knox County employees.

Juneteenth (short for June 19th) marks the date in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Texas were informed they were free and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The holiday is often celebrated with music, services, food, parades and other activities. It’s also an opportunity to learn more about Black and African American history and culture while reflecting on how slavery and racism has affected our communities and what it means to be truly free.

If you would like to see your Juneteenth event featured on this list, email hayley.choy@knoxnews.com.

The Green McAdoo Cultural Center Juneteenth Celebration

June 14 – Green McAdoo Cultural Center

  • The Green McAdoo Cultural Center will have its fourth annual Juneteenth Celebration at 6 p.m. with live performances from Jorden Albright and J.Bu$h.
  • The event is free and will have local artists and food vendors present.
  • For more event information, visit greenmcadooculturalcenter.org.

MLK Jr. Parade March and Juneteenth Celebration

June 19 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission

  • The 2025 MLK Jr. Parade/March and Juneteenth Celebration, presented by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission, will begin with registration and line-up at 8:30 a.m. at Chilhowee Park. The parade will begin at 10 a.m., proceeding down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and ending at Dr. Walter Hardy Park.
  • The Juneteenth Celebration will start at 11 a.m. at the park. The celebration will include live entertainment, a DJ, music performances, dancing, a drill team, kids’ area, food vendors and retail vendors.
  • For more information and to register, visit mlkknoxville.com.

Stories of Emancipation at Mabry-Hazen House

June 19 and June 21 – Mabry-Hazen House

  • The Mabry-Hazen House, featuring generations of family artifacts and heirlooms, will share emancipation stories about local enslaved communities. Visitors can explore how enslaved people connected to the Mabry-Hazen House gained their freedom and fought to dismantle American chattel slavery.
  • Three special Juneteenth Day tours will start at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
  • Patrick Hollis, the executive director of Mabry-Hazen House, will give a presentation at 6 p.m. June 19 on the life and emancipation of Wiley Mabry. The story offers a celebratory yet sobering tale of the lengths enslaved African-Americans took to obtain their freedom.
  • On June 21, two Juneteenth Day tours will be offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Admission is free, but reservations are encouraged, and donations are appreciated. Visit mabryhazen.com for more information and to make reservations.

Juneteenth Celebration in Scarboro

June 21 – Anderson County Democrats

  • Join the Anderson County Democrats to celebrate freedom, community and resilience at the Juneteenth Celebration in Scarboro. This family-friendly gathering will take place at the Scarboro Community Center 3-8:30 p.m.
  • The event includes food, music, performances and local vendors.
  • Visit andersoncountydemocraticparty.com for more information.

Juneteenth LitKidz Workshop at The Bottom

June 21 – The Bottom

  • Join The Bottom for the Juneteenth LitKidz Workshop, where a reading of “Tell Me About Juneteenth” by Kortney Nash will be presented. Participants will be able to make Juneteenth-themed bracelets after story time.
  • Each family that participates will receive a copy of the book, and snacks will be served. You do not have to be a part of the LitKidz program to attend the workshop. This workshop is most appropriate for children ages 5-12.
  • For more information and to make reservations, visit thebottomknox.com.

Remembering: Resist, Reveal, Reclaim, A Crafting Blackness Exhibition at the UT Downtown Gallery

Through Aug. 2 – UT Downtown Gallery

  • “Remembering: Resist, Reveal, ReClaim” is presented by the Crafting Blackness initiative, a five-year collaborative research, publication and exhibition series to advance the visibility of Black Craft and African American artists in Tennessee since 1920 up to present.
  • The exhibition is co-curated by Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, director of Slocumb Galleries at East Tennessee State University and director of the Crafting Blackness Initiative, and Dr. Cynthia Gadsden, associate professor of art history at Tennessee State University, whose research areas include the visual arts, the lived experience and the ways knowledge is transferred across generations via culture, relationships, and story.
  • The exhibit will be on display at the UT Downtown Gallery until Aug. 2. For more information on the exhibit and gallery hours, visit downtown.utk.edu.