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From a documentary film on the Underground Railroad in southcentral Pennsylvania to outdoor celebrations, Juneteenth will be commemorated with events in York and Adams counties.

Juneteenth commemorates the day enslaved African Americans were emancipated. The federal holiday will be observed on Thursday, June 19. 

Juneteenth Celebration in York

A Juneteenth Celebration will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 21, 2025 at Campus Park in York, according to a news release.

Historical information will be shared during the celebration. It also will offer free food, merchadise for sale, community resources, performances, bounce houses and more, the release states.

Campus Park is located next to Voni Grimes Gym.

The City of York Parks and Recreation Bureau is hosting the event. The bureau is still seeking vendors. Anyone who would like to register can contact LaQuinn Thompson, the recreation program specialist, at lthompson@yorkcity.org or by calling (717) 849-2276.

Sponsors of the celebration are Highmark Wholecare, Inch & Co., the Artist Foundation and Juneteenth York Committee.

Juneteenth Celebration at WellSpan Park

A Juneteenth Celebration is planned at WellSpan Park on Thursday, June 19 to “educate, commemorate, and celebrate Juneteenth with powerful performances and community unity,” according to the York Revolution’s Facebook post.

The Rossums, a gospel/inspirational group, will perform, and Amani Weary of York will sing the national anthem, the post states.

The York Revolution will play against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars that evening.

Juneteenth Block Party Celebration at Union Lutheran Church

A block party to celebrate Juneteenth will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 19 at Union Lutheran Church, 408 W. Market St. in York, according to a Facebook post.

It will feature free food and clothing, music, games, and more.

The church received a grant through the Cultural Alliance of York.

Documentary on the Underground Railroad in southcentral Pennsylvania

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A free screening of the documentary, “A History of the Underground Railroad and Abolitionists throughout South Central Pennsylvania,” will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, June 20 at the Capitol Theatre in York.

Filmmaker Bryan Wade “explores the movement that flourished right here in South Central Pennsylvania, featuring the contributions of Quakers, Black and white conductors, and other activists who risked everything to stand up for freedom,” according to the Appell Center for the Performing Arts website.

Local historian Samantha Dorm will lead a roundtable discussion with Wade and other historians following the film.

The event is free, but registration is required.

The Friends of the Lebanon Cemetery is hosting the event. Shipley Energy is providing the funding.

Juneteenth events in Gettysburg

Several events are planned in Gettysburg to commemorate Juneteenth.

A public ceremony and graveside tours will be held Thursday, June 19 at Lincoln Cemetery, which is the borough’s only surviving Black cemetery, according to a news release from Destination Gettysburg. More than 450 local residents are buried in the cemetery.

Jean Green, president of the Lincoln Cemetery Project Association, will lead the tours at 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. at the cemetery, located at the intersection of Lincoln and Long lanes in Gettysburg.

The commemorative program starts at 5:45 p.m., the releases states. It will address the significance of Juneteenth as well as share updates on the efforts to honor more than 130 unknown dead who are buried in the cemetery. Taps will be played at 6 p.m.

“To this day, Lincoln Cemetery holds strong emotional and historical ties to Gettysburg’s Black community,” Green said in the news release. “It is fitting that we will commemorate Juneteenth in a place that is vital to telling the entire story of Gettysburg.”

Juneteenth also will mark the 2025 launch of the Gettysburg Black History Trail, a self-guided tour of historic locations that highlight Black heritage, the release states. Two new locations and audio enhancements will be added.

The release details other free events planned for the weekend to commemorate Juneteenth:

  • Educational programs and a walking tour at the Seminary Ridge Museum between 11:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 21.
  • Songs and Stories of a Civil War Hospital at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 21 at Christ Lutheran Church in Gettysburg. It will feature music, historic interpreters and a reading of the Emancipation Proclamation.
  • Showcase of Black-owned businesses, food trucks, local artists, and a performance by jazz and blues artist Antoinette Montague from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 22 at the Majestic Theater. Tickets are not required.