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Juneteenth will be celebrated across San Diego County on Thursday.

Juneteenth, which commemorates the day when around 250,000 enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom, became a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

Among the celebratory events to be held on Thursday are:

  • WorldBeat Cultural Center in Balboa Park will host “Honoring the Legacy of Black Seminoles, Maroon Societies, and John Horse.” The event will celebrate the legacy of Black Seminoles– descendants of Africans who fled slavery and found refuge with Seminole Indians in Florida. Micco/Chief Thomi Perryman — a hereditary chief of the United Warrior Band of the Seminole Nation/John Horse Band and founder of the Warren Perryman Foundation for Native American Research — will be the event’s keynote speaker. The event will be held from 5 p.m. through 8 p.m. at the WorldBeat Cultural Center, 2100 Park Boulevard.
  • The Louisiana Purchase Juneteenth Block Party in North Park, featuring live music and DJs, New Orleans-inspired food, craft cocktails, and wares from Black-owned vendors. The party is expected to run from noon until 7 p.m. at Louisiana Purchase, 2305 University Avenue.
  • The San Diego Black Arts Festival runs through Saturday and will showcase music, dance, and art. Thursday’s events begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Boulevard.
  • The La Mesa Juneteenth Foundation is hosting a financial literacy pancake breakfast, a fundraiser aimed at raising funds for financial literacy for youths and their families. The event will also include a raffle, a bounce house, and games. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at 4900 Memorial Drive in La Mesa.
  • “Night at the Black Museum” at the Casa Del Rey Moro African Latin Museum in Old Town will celebrate the legacy of Black history and culture in San Diego. The event will feature private museum tours, live music, a community fundraiser, and a special address from museum founder Chuck Ambers. The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the museum, located at 2471 Congress Street.

Find a full list of what’s open and closed across the county below: