A Juneteenth concert and celebration for the entire county will take place in Downtown Iowa City during the evening of June 16, 2023. The event will feature a wide assortment of attractions for all ages:
4 PM: Resource fair at Blackhawk Mini Park
5 PM: Free soul food provided while supplies last
5:30 PM: Fashion show on the Pedestrian Mall main stage
6:30 PM: Live music from Isaac Jordan on the Ped Mall main stage
8 PM: Live music from Aniba and the Sol Starz on the main stage
Other attractions include the Iowa City Public Library’s Bookmobile, activities provided by the North Liberty Public Library, and more!
This year's Juneteenth celebration is a collaboration between many community organizations: Johnson County Government, Think Iowa City, the City of Iowa City, the Summer of the Arts, Iowa City Pride, Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, Dream City, the Iowa City Downtown District, the Wright School of Fashion, the Community Foundation of Johnson County, Royceann's Soul Food, and the Black Voices Project.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers sailed into Galveston, Texas, and read aloud the order, freeing a quarter of a million slaves who were residing in the state.
Juneteenth events will be held throughout Johnson County around the holiday. Check www.icjuneteenth.com to see the many ways you can celebrate.