CHICAGO — After a busy weekend of Juneteenth events, there are still a whole host of things to do on Monday, the official holiday.
Juneteenth, a portmanteau of “June” and “19th,” refers to June 19, 1865. That’s the day federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved people there that slavery had ended — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Juneteenth was made a federal and state holiday in 2021. This year, many in Chicago are honoring the holiday with barbecues, parades, history sessions, parties, resource fairs and other events.
Block Club Chicago rounded up Juneteenth events happening on Monday. If you think we’ve missed one, send an email to newsroom@BlockClubChi.org to let us know.
North Side
Juneteenth Celebration
2-7 p.m. Monday
Pottawattomie Park, 7340 N. Rogers Ave.
Communities Partnering 4 Peace, ONE Northside and the Chicago Department of Public Health are coming together for this Juneteenth event at Pottawattomie Park, featuring a barbecue cookout with free food and beverages, DJ sets, raffles, games, prizes and a bounce house. Attendees are encouraged to bring their chairs and blankets.
South Side
11th Annual Juneteenth Community ReCommitment Celebration: Paint The Hood Orange in Pullman
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday
National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum (817 E. 104th St.) Corliss High School (821 E. 103rd St.) and Butler College Prep (821 E. 103rd St.).
This year’s theme is “Paint The Hood Orange” in honor of victims of gun violence. There will be a youth basketball tournament, a block party with food, vendors, music, performances and special presentations, a neighborhood parade and more. The event is free.
DuSable Museum’s 3rd Annual Juneteenth Community BBQ
10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday
DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, 740 E. 56th Place
The DuSable Museum will have family activities, musical performances, a petting zoo, food and beverages, horseback riding, a marketplace, giveaways, a lounge for adults, a dance competition and more. Additionally, in honor of the 50th anniversary of hip hop, the museum is hosting a Hip-Hop Communiversity discussion session with hip-hop legend Kool Moe Dee. The event is free.
Thank You Chicago Juneteenth Market
2-7 p.m. Monday
The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. West
Hyde Park’s historic The Promontory is hosting a pop-up market in honor of Juneteenth with beauty, fashion, food and other vendors. The event is free.
Juneteenth in Englewood
1-5:30 p.m. Monday
Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen Ave.
There will be free food, music and activities at Lindblom Park for Juneteenth. The event is free and tickets are online.
Juneteenth Block Party
Noon-9 p.m. Monday
1200 E. 79th Street
South Side organizers are hosting this Juneteenth block party with multiple DJ sets, food, a footwork showcase, kids’ training session, band performance by the KingsGuard group and more. The event is free, with tickets available online.
Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
Noon-4 p.m. Friday-Monday
10810, 10824 and 10833 S. Halsted St.
Mayor Brandon Johnson will make an appearance at Angel of God Resource Center Inc.’s Juneteenth event. Neighbors will also have access to summer employment vendor pop-ups.
Love and Liberation Festival
Noon-6 p.m. Monday
Foster Park, 1440 W. 84th St.
Hosted in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood by nonprofit organization BECOME, the Love and Liberation Festival will have local performers, vendors, music, spoken word and dance to enjoy. There will also be art, carnival-themed family activities, wellness and self-care discussions, performances, and more.
White Sox Juneteenth Celebration
7:10 p.m. Monday
Guaranteed Rate Field, 333 W. 35th St.
White Sox fans can head to Gate 5, at the northeast corner of 35 St. and Shields Ave., for a pregame tailgate where they can hear about White Sox partners who offer programming celebrating Juneteenth and the Black community. There will be tents and on-site representatives from Black-owned organizations, who will have information on upcoming events, volunteering and the intersections of Black history and Chicago culture. There will also be Sip N Savor Coffee, a in-game hip-hop dance performance from Redd’s Angelz Entertainment and other activities.
West Side/Near West Side
North Lawndale College Prep Juneteenth Day of Service
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday
North Lawndale College Prep High School, Christina Campus, 11615 S. Christiana Ave.
Those looking for ways to give back to the community can join community leaders, students and staff who will be planting a peace garden and updating classrooms with peace corners for Juneteenth.
The Level Up Career Conference & Business Expo
9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday
Malcolm X College College Conference Center, 1900 W. Jackson Blvd.
40 Tons, a Black-owned, woman-owned social impact organization committed to restorative justice and equitable access to career opportunities, hosts more than a job fair (though hiring managers, execs, employers are there). There will be panel discussions, educational workshops, resume development, dispensary agent training, expungement assistance, a keynote speaker, cannabis career discussion, DEI & career advancement, staffing and recruiting professionals, etc.
Downtown/Near North Side
360 CHICAGO Celebrates Juneteenth
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday
360 CHICAGO Observation Deck, 875 Michigan Avenue 94th Floor
Those looking for ways to celebrate Juneteenth Downtown can head to 360 CHICAGO, where there will be a Juneteenth Marketplace with Black-owned businesses selling items like makeup, coffee, juice, art, fashion, a freedom quilt unveiling, a DJ set, performances and more. Tickets are $19, with a portion of the proceeds from tickets sales going to support I AM A GENTLEMAN, a nonprofit organization working to empower young men.
Juneteenth Healing Sound Bath Meditation
7-8 p.m. Monday, Dream Market open 6-9 p.m.
The LaSalle Chicago, Autograph Collection, 208 S. La Salle St.
Christie R. Edwards, a certified crystal healer, sound healing practitioner and Angelic Reiki master teacher will lead a healing sound meditation. No formal experience is required and attendees are encouraged to dress in comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat, blanket, pillow, eye mask and other cozy materials. Before and after the session, there will be a dream market featuring women and artisans of colors, plus emerging Chicago brands. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online.
Juneteenth Celebration at the American Writers Museum
6 p.m. Monday
American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., 2nd Floor
The American Writers Museum is hosting a celebration for Juneteenth featuring a reading of “Those Who Saw The Sun” by Jaha Nailah Avery, a new collection of oral history narratives of those that lived in the South during Jim Crow. There will also be a gallery talk featuring artists Dorothy Burge, Damon Reed, and Dorian Sylvain, a part of AWM’s special exhibit Dark Testament: A Century of Black Writers on Justice. Books and prints will be available for purchase. The event is free.
Juneteenth Events at the Field Museum
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday
The Field Museum
Come to the Field Museum’s Grainger Science Lab to learn about the history and legacy of George Washington Carver through his own specimens. Guests can also take an audio tour through nine museum exhibits related to Carver’s scientific research and work. The museum will also feature its community partners who work to empower the city’s Black community from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Stanley Field Hall. Additionally, Illinois residents who show proof of residency can receive free admission to the museum on June 19.
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