SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The city of Syracuse is celebrating Juneteenth with a weekend full of events honoring Black history, freedom, and culture.
Festivities began Thursday evening with a family-friendly block party at STEAM at Dr. King on the South Side. The event featured games, crafts, a fashion show, and educational activities—including a tour highlighting Syracuse’s role in the journey to freedom.
Organizers say the goal is to both celebrate and educate.
The celebration continues Friday, June 13, with the official Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony at Syracuse City Hall. The ceremony begins at noon on the front steps of City Hall, where city and county officials will join members of the Juneteenth Celebration Committee to raise the flag in honor of the holiday.
Later Friday evening, the annual Syracuse Juneteenth Festival begins at 5 p.m. in Clinton Square, featuring live music, food, vendors, and performances.
On Saturday, the Juneteenth Victory Parade will step off from the Dunbar Center at 11 a.m., making its way to Clinton Square just in time for the festival to resume at noon.
This year’s national Juneteenth theme is “A Reckoning: Reclaiming the Past, Remembering Black Voices, Reshaping the Future.” Organizers say it’s a powerful reminder of the importance of both honoring history and pushing toward progress.
The Juneteenth holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. It marks June 19, 1865, the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were informed of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
For more information about Syracuse’s Juneteenth events, visit syracusejuneteenth.com
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