The Triad will have plenty of events that celebrate Juneteenth in the next few weeks while highlighting local leaders in our community. You can find a list of events below:
Greensboro
The Architect of Black Space proudly announces the return of the 5th Annual Citywide Juneteenth Black Food Truck Festival, Greensboro’s beloved tradition honoring Black liberation, culture, and entrepreneurship, on Saturday, June 14 from 5 to 11 p.m. We give thanks to the community, our ancestors, donors, organizers, vendors, and our sponsors Visit Greensboro, Greensboro Parks & Rec, and North Carolina A&T.
What started as a local gathering and celebration of liberation and community has grown into a cornerstone cultural event for the region, attracting over 10,000 attendees annually.
“This is more than a festival — Greensboro is a majority-minority city and our celebrations affirm this reality. Juneteenth Black Food Truck Festival it’s a tradition rooted in joy, political power, legacy, and community,” said April Parker, founding organizer for Architect of Black Space. “We’ve turned a celebration into an economic engine that uplifts and amplifies Black voices.” Each year, the event proudly supports and showcases over 100 Black-owned businesses, food vendors, artists, and creatives.
“Coordinating the Juneteenth Black Food Truck Festival is more than organizing an event — it’s a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come, it’s a chance to love on our community and to create a space for joy, remembrance, and unity. And YES we welcome everyone to celebrate with us,” said Vendor Coordinator Blair Barnes.
The 2025 Juneteenth Trailblazers Award will be a part of the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. They will be honoring the late Pat Fortune who brought Juneteenth to the city in 1994, her family will receive her recognition and our gratitude on her behalf. The torch was carried by Parker, who started curating Juneteenth celebrations in 2015 and worked in 2020 to make Juneteenth an official holiday in our city. Together, as we celebrate the fifth annual Juneteenth tradition, our honors will be awarded by Greensboro’s Mayor Nancy Vaughn. Speakers also include Guilford County’s own Rep. Amos Quick and Mayor of Durham Leonardo Williams as our inaugural speakers and distinguished political orators.
There will also be an open mic as part of the Juneteenth Black Food Truck Festival. This gives the audience the ability to become a part of the curation. Grandmothers telling Juneteenth stories, political insights, and performers of all kinds are welcome to sign up at the DJ booths starting at 5 p.m. The open mic is sponsored by Kids Poetry Basketball and will take place at 8 p.m. in Lebauer Park.
The Guilford County Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department (SBED) and N.C. Cooperative Extension – Guilford County Center is partnering with Triad Black Faith Leaders, Black Farmers Network, and East Greensboro NOW for the Juneteenth Triad Farmers Market at the Hayes-Taylor Memorial YMCA in Greensboro. The farmers market will be held on Thursday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature minority farmers offering fresh, locally grown produce and meat. The event will also showcase live music and performances, craft vendors, and local food trucks. There is no admission fee to attend.
Royal Expressions and Juneteenth GSO will host the Arts Legacy Awards on Friday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Van Dyke Performance Space, located at 200 N. Davie St. in Greensboro.
The Juneteenth GSO Fest will be held in downtown Greensboro at LeBauer Park, all day on Friday, June 21. This community event will feature incredible artists, diverse music, and unique vendors. The festival will be headlined by The NuBeing Collective, a dynamic hip-hop fusion band from Greensboro.
The Juneteenth Gospel Superfest and Interfaith Celebration will be held on Sunday, June 15 beginning at 2 p.m. at the Barber Park Amphitheater, located at 1500 Barber Park Dr. in Greensboro.
Attendees are encouraged to come experience “Concert & Community” as organizers honor freedom, faith, and unity through music, culture, and connection. There will be local vendors and live performances. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/JGSIFC2025.
Colfax
The Juneteenth SOULebration will be held on Thursday, June 19 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market, located at 2914 Sandy Ridge Road in Colfax. This is designed to honor freedom, culture, and community with a day filled with praise, celebration, and fun for the whole family.
There will be live gospel music, family fun, games, bounce houses, food trucks, a DJ, a cash cube, and raffle prizes. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit https://JuneteenthSOULebration.com.
High Point
In High Point, the Carl Chavis YMCA will host “Juneteenth Celebration: It’s a Family Reunion” on Sunday, June 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. This event will feature Ricco Barrino, DJ ESudd, and Fat Jeez from 102 Jamz. The event will include community vendors, food trucks, games, giveaways, line dancing, and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs.
Live performances are a pillar of Triad Cultural Arts’ Juneteenth Festival
Winston-Salem
In commemoration of the 160th anniversary of the original Juneteenth celebration in Texas, Triad Cultural Arts announces its most robust lineup of Juneteenth activities. The 26th Annual Juneteenth Celebration has been billed to be one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations across the state and is set to become the largest Black annual event in Winston-Salem.
Last year, Juneteenth festivities brought together over 12,000 people from diverse community groups and backgrounds for arts, entertainment, and education in one of our city’s most acclaimed outdoor venues: Innovation Quarter. TCA’s 2025 festival line-up includes more events, like African dance flash mobs, across Winston-Salem and Forsyth County — including the Town of Kernersville’s Juneteenth celebration featuring a drone show & fireworks finale.
“We’re really leaning to our name and have direct ties with other municipalities — because the spirit of Juneteenth demands that we unify to multiply our impact,” said Executive Director Abrea Armstrong.
Juneteenth 2025 will feature several dynamic events, May 17 – June 21, 2025, throughout our city including:
• Freedom Day Ancestral Tribute — May 17
• County-wide Dance Flash Mobs — June 19
• Town of Kernersville Juneteenth Festival & Fireworks — June 19
• Juneteenth Procession — June 21
• Juneteenth Festival — June 21
Young dancers celebrating at Triad Cultural Arts’ Juneteenth 2024.
Keeping and living Black culture continues to be at the forefront of the Juneteenth celebration. The June 21 festival in Innovation Quarter will include live music & spoken word, Heritage Village, Wellness Village sponsored by Atrium Health, food trucks, vendors, street-style portraits, and for the first time, a soul food culinary contest.
“Juneteenth marks a significant milestone in American history, and we are thrilled to launch the 160th commemoration with Freedom Day at St. Philips Moravian Church. The venue holds deep meaning, as it is the very site where freedom was announced in our region on May 21, 1865. To sit in the original pews where enslaved people first heard they were free is a sacred experience. Through Ritual of Mapping, we lift ancestral voices in remembrance and renewal — a living tribute to 160 years of liberation,” said Cheryl Harry, TCA founder and programs manager.
The largest 2025 funder is the North Carolina Arts Council who pledged their support for this year’s festival back in 2024. Their music and dance director, Jamie Kotz, said, “The North Carolina Arts Council is proud to support Triad Cultural Arts’ Juneteenth Festival. This is just one example of a project that strengthens our state’s arts community and provides public good to the people of North Carolina.” Their support demonstrates how Winston-Salem’s Juneteenth festival is one of the premier celebrations in the state. Amid budget cuts across the arts, TCA is grateful for the increased support of corporate & municipal donors. Other major sponsors include the City of Winston-Salem, Innovation Quarter, Novant Health, and Allegacy.
All events are free and open to the public. For complete details and more information, visit the website: www.triadculturalarts.org or call 336-757-8556.
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