Updated: Juneteenth celebration in Georgetown

Updated June 13, 2023–The 71st annual Juneteenth celebration in Georgetown on June 16-17 includes multiple events. The Georgetown Juneteenth events are sponsored by the Georgetown Cultural Citizen Memorial Association and GTX Connect. In addition to these events, a Juneteenth photo exhibit will be on display at the Georgetown Public Library on June 12-18.

June 16

 Soul at City Center

The Soul at City Center Juneteenth event from 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 16, will be held at the outdoor plaza behind 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St. The event will include live music by the Austin band Mega’Tune. Attendees should bring blankets, chairs, and snacks.

June 17

 Juneteenth Program and Festival

The Juneteenth program and festival from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, June 17, will be at the Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St. in San Gabriel Park. The program includes a keynote speaker and a musical performance. The festival, which follows, includes music by DJ Eric Sampson, a performance by Smooth and EZ Dance of Texas, children’s activities, bingo, a silent auction, and food and vendor booths.

Juneteenth Basketball Tournament

Update, June 13: The Juneteenth Classic 3v3 Basketball Tournament has been canceled due to low registration.

June 12-18

 Juneteenth Photo Exhibit

An historical photo exhibit of Juneteenth celebrations in Georgetown will be featured June 12-18 in the lobby at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.

Juneteenth history

Juneteenth marks the day on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers landed at Galveston and reported that the Civil War was over and slavery had ended. The Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves had been in effect since January 1, 1863, but word did not reach Texas for more than two years. Juneteenth was declared an official state holiday in Texas in 1980.

Learn more about the Juneteenth event sponsoring organizations at gccmatx.com and at gtxconnect.org.