Juneteenth 2025: Cleveland and Northeast Ohio events to check out

*The Juneteenth flag, commemorating the day that slavery ended in the U.S., flies.* (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Throughout the month, Juneteenth celebrations will occur throughout Cleveland and its inner-ring suburbs. Some will focus on the history of the day, others will be opportunities to celebrate as a community, and others will offer guests an opportunity to create art that reflects that past and the current moment.

We’ve compiled a list of upcoming events throughout The Land that you can check out.

Juneteenth at ThirdSpace Action Lab “Bet on Black” — Throughout the month of June, ThirdSpace Action Lab will host a variety of events focused on Juneteenth, including the Freedom Lectures (on June 11 and 17); a Soiree Garden Party (on June 12); Brea Baker and Cebo Campbell (on June 20); the Black is Joy BBQ (on June 22); an intergenerational lunch (on June 27); and BLK Pride on 105 (on June 28). Additional events may be added throughout the month.
Juneteenth Celebration at Near West Theatre — Near West Theatre will have a free Summer Plaza Concert for Juneteenth on Thursday, June 12^th from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Near West Theatre in Gordon Square.
Cleveland’s Juneteenth Freedom Fest — Held at Mall C in downtown Cleveland, on June 14, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., this city-wide, family-friendly celebration will include live music, vendors, food and refreshments, crafts, live art demonstrations, free roller skating, mini-golf, and more.
Juneeteenth Celebration at Cain Park — On June 14, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the city of Cleveland Heights will host a free, public event at Cain Park in observation of Juneteenth. The event will include a concert performance, arts, spoken word and interactive stories, re-enactments of Juneteenth history and more.
Dunham Tavern Juneteenth Celebration — This free and public event will be held June 14 from noon to 4 p.m. The festivities include live performances, vendors, food and fun for the whole family. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chair or blankets.
Joyful Juneteenth — Cleveland Public Library’s Fulton branch will host The Cleveland Association of Black Storytellers as they share stories from Juneteenth during this event on June 16. The stories begin at 1 p.m.
Juneteenth Scrapbook Art — On June 17, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., guests at the Addison branch of Cleveland Public Library can make scrapbook art to show what Juneteenth means to them. Guests can make their own art to take home with them, or add to a community collage.
Juneteenth Beaded Bracelets — On June 18, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Mount Pleasant branch of Cleveland Public Library, guests can make their own bracelets to celebrate Juneteenth.
Soldiers and Sailors Monument’s Juneteenth Celebration — From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Cuyahoga County Sailors and Soldiers Monument will host a family-friendly Juneteenth celebration. The event will include a reading of General Order No. 3, a dialogue around its meaning and importance; plus, coloring stations, story time with books from Cleveland Public Library, coloring stations, snacks and monument tours.
Juneteenth: 5K Freedom Walk — Starting at 1 p.m. on June 19, attendees can come together at Cleveland Central Catholic High School to honor the end of slavery in the United States.
Beachwood Juneteenth Celebration — On June 19, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Beachwood Family Aquatic Center, the city will celebrate Juneteenth with family activities, a movie truck, DJs, vendors, food trucks and more. The event is open to all.
MX. Juneteenth at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — On June 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a Queer and Black Liberation Celebration at the Rock Hall. The event will include Black queer feminist performances, small businesses and artists, and community care.
What is Juneteenth? — On June 21, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at the Memorial Nottingham branch of Cleveland Public Library, guests can explore the meaning and history of Juneteenth while making keepsake buttons. Age-appropriate activities will be held for teens and tweens.

Juneteenth commemorates the freeing of the last slaves in the Confederacy — an event that occurred when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.