Celebrate the 157th Juneteenth at concerts & events in Houston & Galveston

Discover everything you need to know about the Houston and Galveston celebrations of the 157th anniversary of Juneteenth and the 159th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation with our handy guide to 2022 Juneteenth celebrations in Houston.

This year marks the 157th anniversary of the date that news of the Emancipation Proclamation first reached Texas and was read aloud in Galveston on June 19, 1865—two years after it had become U.S. law.

In celebration of that day, the Greater Houston and Galveston areas host a number of festivals, events, and commemorations that we’ve gathered in this guide to plan your Juneteenth weekend.

2022 Juneteenth Celebrations in Houston & Galveston

All Month Long

• Juneteenth Freedom Tours at Juneteenth Legacy Project Headquarters | Saturday, June 11 & Sunday, June 12; Monday, June 20 – Take to the streets of Galveston with tour guides that offer an immersive experience with stops at the sites of emancipation where Major General Gordon Grander read the historic General Order No. 3. $20. Times vary.
• After Dark Happy Hour & Juneteenth Celebration at Buffalo Soldiers National Museum | Wednesday, June 15 | No Cover – The Museum After Dark celebrates Juneteenth at the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum with $5 cocktails, $3 sangria, $7 frozens plus food, games and a live DJ. Free with RSVP. 5pm to 8pm.
• Cook the Garden at Houston Botanic Garden | Thursday, June 16 – Get a hands-on experience making a complete meal, perfect for your Juneteenth celebrations. The menu for the Juneteenth class will include roasted corn and basil hot water cornbread, braised cabbage and black-eyed peas (smoked turkey optional), and watermelon salad. $58 per person. 6pm.
• Juneteenth 2022: Freedom Work at Rice University | Friday, June 17 | FREE – Sit with alumni and scholars of Rice University, Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University for a three-panel discussion on freedom, pathways to the Ph.D for Black students, and Black entrepreneurship. Free with registration. 8:45am to 12:30pm.
• Memory Builds the Monument Movie Screening at the DeLuxe Theater | Friday, June 17 | FREE – Channel the history of Houston’s African Americans in Fifth Ward at this documentary screening centered on Club Matinee, and the cultural and social challenges of the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s. Free with registration. Screenings at 6pm, 7:30pm, and 10pm.

Saturday, June 18, 2022

• 43rd Annual Juneteenth Proclamation Reading at Ashton Villa | FREE – Take in a live reading of General Order No. 3, which declared freedom for enslaved people, at the island’s official Juneteenth historic monument at the 1859 Ashton Villa. 10am to 11am.
• Mayor Turner’s 9th Annual Juneteenth Parade in Acres Homes | FREE – With dignitaries on hand, this annual Juneteenth parade leaves from the Acres Homes Multi-Service Center to the Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church, with crowds along West Montgomery to take in the view. 10am to noon.
• 5th Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Pearland Town Center | FREE – This fifth annual event from the Pearland MLK Celebration Committee sets the stage for a day of historical education, community fun and celebrating the progress of Black Americans. 10am to 1pm.
• A Juneteenth Celebration at Bayou Bend Collection & Gardens | FREE – Bayou Bend commemorates Juneteenth with a family-centered program focusing on Black history. There will be an art-making workshop, a talk by artist Reginald C. Adams, a Juneteenth-themed presentation from performing artist Jolie Rocke, and more. 10am to 3pm.
• Juneteenth Celebration at Children’s Museum Houston – Gather for an afternoon to celebrate Juneteenth in the Museum District. Hear about the life and leadership of Harriet Tubman, get interactive with a djembe drumming session, hear a children’s tale about diversity and inclusion from author Jatrean Sanders, snap a pic with Black Panther, and more. $15 for ages 1 and up. 10am to 6pm.
• Black is Primary: A Juneteenth Festival at Post Houston | FREE – With several events spread across the day, this all-ages event at the Downtown destination hosts a children’s storytime in the morning, followed by multi-disciplinary dance performances with Houston’s Poet Laureate Outspoken Bean, AJ McQueen, Isabel Wallace-Green of Alvin Ailey Dance, plus a nighttime concert featuring Lucky Daye, Chrisette Michele, Wale and more. Concert tickets start at $75; all other events are free. Times vary, first event at 10am.
• Juneteenth Culinary Celebration at The Assembly HTX – This inaugural event in Third Ward elevates the voices and culinary talent of Black women, presented by Chefs Tarsha Gary and Sheri L. Raleigh. Enjoy cooking and cocktail demonstrations, artist exhibitions, and shop an outdoor market of Black female entrepreneurs. $100. 11am to 2pm.
• Juneteenth Celebration at Houston Museum of African American Culture | FREE – HMAAC hosts an event to commemorate Juneteenth that includes live music by Kombilesa Mí, the art exhibit Juneteenth Champions by Ted Ellis, plenty of vendors, and more. 11am to 7pm.
• Juneteenth Celebration at Buffalo Soldiers National Museum – Celebrate Juneteenth with a live art session with artist Lauren Luna, tours, Living History performances, a live DJ, a food truck, and a cash bar at Buffalo Soldiers National Museum. $5. Noon to 4pm.
• Juneteenth Festival at McGuire Dent Recreational Center | FREE – This Juneteenth Festival in Galveston will feature food vendors, the Black Artist Artwalk Exhibition, the inaugural Juneteenth “Making Moves” Youth Basketball Tournament, live music by Pee Wee & The Too Laid Back Band, a presentation by historian Mr. Sam Collins, and more. Noon to 8pm.
• Baytown’s Juneteenth Celebration at Bicentennial Park | FREE – Back again after it’s debut celebration last year, this Baytown event features DJ tunes and live music from Mambo Jazz Kings and soul legends, the Four Tops. Plus, you can shop arts vendors, enjoy games and food, and cap off the night with a fireworks display. 4pm to 9pm.
• Juneteenth Jubilee at Club Sienna | FREE – Club Sienna in Missouri City hosts its Juneteenth Jubilee, complete with live music, games, kids’ activities, and a vendor market. 6pm to 9pm.
• Juneteenth Night Light Bike Ride at Third Ward Tours – Vibe to curated playlists and ride through iconic destinations of Houston, including Third Ward, Midtown, Discovery Green, or the Museum District, to name a few possible spots. $9; $25.50 and up for a bike rental. 7pm to 9pm.
• Juneteenth Weekend at Shrine Cultural & Event Center | Saturday, June 18 & Juneteenth, Sunday, June 19 | FREE – Shrine of the Black Madonna hosts a Juneteenth edition of the Original Buy Black Marketplace with back-to-back days of Black business shopping, food and music in a celebratory atmosphere. Saturday noon to 5pm; Sunday noon to 4pm.
• Juneteenth Celebration at Emancipation Park | Saturday, June 18 & Juneteenth, Sunday, June 19 – Mark the 150th Emancipation Park celebrations of Juneteenth with a 2-day festival featuring a day of kids activities, local vendors and concerts, including headlining performances from The Isley Brothers, Kool & the Gang, Shiela E. and Frankie Beverly & Maze. Space is limited. Free with registration. 4pm to 9pm.

Juneteenth, Sunday, June 19, 2022

• Avenue L Baptist Church Juneteenth Celebration | FREE – Celebrate a historic heritage at the Avenue L Missionary Baptist Church in Galveston with a program that includes speakers, choirs, and more. 11am.
• Juneteenth: The Galveston Story at MG 3D Theater at Moody Gardens – Watch a documentary film that features stories about Juneteenth as told by prominent Galveston County community members and family members of the people who were there in 1865. Free to register, with a $4 convenience charge per transaction. Screenings at 11am, 3pm, 6:40pm.
• Juneteenth: Celebration of Freedom in Historic 5th Ward – Have a bike ride through the Historic 5th Ward in celebration of Juneteenth. There will also be a pop-up market with plenty of local vendors, live music, and food vendors. No cover to attend the market; $17.55 for the bike ride. Noon to 8pm.
• BLCK Market’s 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration at East River | FREE – Shop from 100 Black small businesses and entrepreneurs as BLCK Market hosts their 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration, along with live music and food trucks. 1pm to 5pm.
• Black Art Show: Juneteenth at Prime Art Gallery – Primary Paint Party in Westchase pays a tribute to Black art and creators as artists collectively contribute pieces for this art show. All works will be for sale. Tickets are $20. 1pm to 6pm.
• Juneteenth General Order #3 Reenactment at Galveston Custom & Court House | FREE – See a reenactment of one of Galveston’s most important historical moments, the reading of General Order No. 3, at the Old Galveston Custom & Court House. 3pm to 4pm.
• Juneteenth Jubilee at Absolute Equality Mural in Galveston | FREE – At the site of Reginald C. Adams’ massive mural on The Strand, Absolute Equality, celebrate Juneteenth at the birthplace of the historical event itself, with music, live performances, historic reenactments and more. 3pm to 6pm.
• Juneteenth: The Journey to Freedom at Miller Outdoor Theatre | FREE – More than a dozen performers come together to tell the story of African Americans from 1865 to today, and their journey to the celebration of freedom through dramatic visuals, live music, narration and dance. 8:30pm.