Juneteenth lands on Friday this year, and opportunities to commemorate the holiday in Greater Boston will kick off Thursday and stretch through the weekend. From art-packed open houses to outdoor carnivals to live interactive game shows, here are standout ways to honor, remember, and celebrate with family, friends, and the neighbors you haven’t met yet.
MIT OPEN SPACE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION Step outside and dance to live reggae music from the Roots Alley Collective with special guest Dion Knibb on Juneteenth Eve. Attendees can also look forward to ice cream, lawn games, food trucks, and more. June 18, noon-2 p.m. Kendall MIT Open Space, 292 Main St., Cambridge. Free admission. openspace.mit.edu.
JUNETEENTH FLAG RAISING AT CITY HALL The city of Boston invites community members to witness the official annual raising of the Juneteenth flag, a proclamation reading, and moment of silence on Thursday. The event will also feature keynote speeches from city leaders and live musical performances. June 18, noon. City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Square. Free. boston.gov.
HISTORICALLY BLACK PHRASES LIVE! FT JARRETT HILL AND TRE’VALL ANDERSON If you’re up for a friendly competition, then head to WBUR CitySpace for “Historically Black Phrases Live!” a live game show based on the event’s cohosts and coauthors’ book, “Historically Black Phrases: From ‘I Ain’t One of Your Lil’ Friends’ to ‘Who All Gon’ Be There?’” Audience members have the opportunity to play from their seats and compete to win prizes — followed by a signing with Anderson and Hill featuring Frugal Bookstore. June 18, 7 p.m. WBUR CitySpace, 890 Commonwealth Ave. $25, $10 for students. wbur.org
NEWTON JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION Celebrate Juneteenth with live performances, food trucks, and a New England Patriots skills and drills clinic at the 6th annual Newton Juneteenth celebration. Hosted by the Newton-based antiracist coalition Families Organizing for Racial Justice, attendees can shop from local vendors, meet Patriots cheerleaders, watch live African dance and poetry performances, and close out the night with a screening of “Black Panther.” Reggae Foods and Gourmet Kreyol, two food trucks serving up Caribbean cuisine, will be on location. June 19, 3-10 p.m. Hyde Community Center, 90 Lincoln St. Free, registration recommended. eventbrite.com
MFA JUNETEENTH OPEN HOUSE Admission will be free for all Massachusetts residents at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston for a special Juneteenth edition of its Open House. Ticket holders can challenge chess masters or play on a life-size board, create clay poem jars in honor of the holiday, watch live performances of Haitian song and dance, and of course, explore the museum’s galleries. June 19. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. 465 Huntington Ave. Free, Tickets required. mfa.org
WE CREATE THE WORLD In partnership with the Boston Ujima Project, the ICA is offering free admission plus all-day programming for a jam-packed Juneteenth celebration. In addition to the galleries, guests can peruse a zine fair, partake in a block-print workshop honoring notable Black printmakers, and sit in on screenings from the Roxbury International Film Fest. June 19, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Dr. Free. Tickets required. icaboston.org
BROOKLINE JUNETEENTH CARNIVAL Celebrating the theme of “One Freedom, Many Flags!,” the Brookline Juneteenth Carnival is a free celebration of freedom and culture. Featuring waterslides, bouncy houses, Caribbean music, food, and more — it’s set to be one part fairground, one part block party, and a whole lot of fun. June 19, noon-4 p.m. Brookline High School, 115 Greenough St., Brookline. Free. eventbrite.com.
ANNUAL FRANKLIN PARK JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION The spirit of Juneteenth doesn’t have to stop after June 19. Head to Franklin Park’s Shattuck Picnic Area for an all-day celebration of Black freedom and community in one of the city’s most historic parks. June 20, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Franklin Park Shattuck Picnic Grove. Free. boston.gov.
Dates, times, and locations are subject to change. Check event organizers’ official websites for the most up-to-date information.
Gitana Savage can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on X @gitana_savage.
