As many cities across the United States scale back or cancel Juneteenth events due to vanishing corporate sponsorships and shrinking municipal support, the Washington, D.C., region is pushing forward with a full calendar of commemorations aimed at honoring the nation’s second Independence Day.
Across the country, funding gaps and political shifts have caused a retreat from the surge of support that followed the 2021 federal recognition of Juneteenth. In Denver, the city’s widely known Juneteenth Music Festival was shortened from two days to one after more than a dozen corporate sponsors pulled their funding.
“They pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year,” said Norman Harris, executive director of the festival, crediting community donors with keeping the event alive.
Colorado Springs saw its celebration relocated to a mall parking lot after losing most of its sponsors. In Scottsdale, Arizona, the city’s Juneteenth festival was canceled altogether after the DEI office was shut down earlier this year. San Diego’s Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 federal arts grant that had been designated for Juneteenth programming, forcing organizers to personally cover expenses. Bend, Oregon, canceled its entire event, citing safety concerns and a hostile political environment. West Virginia, where Juneteenth has been a state holiday since 2017, will hold no official state-sponsored events for the first time in years, citing budget and program cuts.
Further, in Austin, Texas, while celebrations remain scheduled, they have been significantly scaled back due to decreased public and private financial support.
But in the nation’s capital and surrounding region, Juneteenth 2025 is moving ahead with a slate of vibrant events and cultural offerings.
In Washington, the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum will host a daylong celebration featuring musical performances, morning yoga, and community art projects.
The ONE DC Black Workers Center and The Lot will kick off their own Juneteenth event at 11 a.m. on June 19 at 2500 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, with fire dancers and a live Go-go band planned as part of the festivities.
At the National Archives, the original Emancipation Proclamation and General Order No. 3 — the military order that informed enslaved people in Texas of their freedom — will be on display from June 19 through June 22, offering a rare opportunity for public viewing of the historical documents.
Across the Potomac in Maryland, a Juneteenth parade will step off in Annapolis on June 21 at 11 a.m., beginning at St. John’s College and ending at Amos Garrett Boulevard. Also, National Harbor will feature a Freedom Day Black-Owned Marketplace from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Capital Canopy, showcasing local entrepreneurs and artisans.
In Northern Virginia, Alexandria’s Market Square will come alive with music and movement, including a concert by the Washington Revels Jubilee Voices, spoken word artists, and traditional dance performances. On June 21, the Charles Houston Recreation Center’s parking lot will also host family-friendly activities including live music, performances, and a moon bounce for children.
“There is soooooo much to do in D.C. this weekend for Juneteenth starting on Wednesday,” one social media user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
While support for Juneteenth has weakened in many parts of the country, Harris in Denver said community-driven efforts are still making the holiday possible where official support has dwindled.
“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” he said. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”
Source: Published without changes from Washington Informer Newspaper
