Happy Juneteenth Day! This will be my first year celebrating Juneteenth while living in Charleston, and I am amazed at how engaged our Charleston community is with creating tons of fun and informative events in and around the downtown Charleston area. If you are unsure of what Juneteenth commemorates, on June 19, 1865, the last of the victims of slavery in the United States were finally emancipated. To celebrate their history and freedom, our Holy City has organized events to provide family fun and history for everyone, running all weekend long! I’ve compiled a list of events and festivals that you, your friends, and your family can attend this weekend to celebrate this historic holiday.

Unified Bible Study & Gospel Concert

Where: First Baptist Church of James Island (located at 1110 Camp Road, Charleston, SC 29412)

When: Wednesday, June 16th from 6 PM - 9 PM

Event Details: This worship service will help feed your mind and soul, with a panel of Charleston’s Biblical Scholars, and a live gospel concert performed by First Baptist’s best. This event is free to attend and open to all! 

Sweet Love: A Tribute to Anita Baker

Where: Charleston Music Hall (located at 37 John St. Charleston, SC 29403)

When: Thursday, June 17th starting at 8 PM

Event Details: “Sweet Love” is presented by The ZD Experience as a tribute to one of the most powerful R&B artists of our time, performed by Black Diamond & Friends. Tickets to the event are $20 and can be purchased online here.

Root of Soul Festival Party

Where: Exchange Park (located at 9850 Hwy 78, Ladson, SC 29456)

When: Friday, June 18th from 4 PM - 10 PM

Event Details: This 2-day festival has something for everyone to enjoy, with Mr. Seafood’s Food Truck Rodeo, a Fetter Healthcare Vaccination Clinic, and a Freedom Hall Vendor Show. The Kids Zone will be open from 4PM - 8PM with tons of activities and fun for kids, live music and DJs, the largest Cupid Shuffle dance party ever, and a Sip & Paint workshop at 7PM! Make sure to purchase tickets by June 18th, which can be found here. 

Dinner & a Movie in the Park

Where: Barker Field (located at 70 Baygall Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29226)

When: Friday, June 19th starting at 7 PM

Event Details: The film, “Juneteenth: Lift Every Voice and Sing” presented by BLKFreedom will be playing in the Barker Field for the community to watch together! Admission is free, and there will be fish dinners available for purchase on-site. The film explores the negro national anthem through the perspective of historic institutions and anthropologists. Make sure to bring your chairs, blankets, friends, and appetite!

Root of Soul: Explore Charleston

Where: Exchange Park (located at 9850 Hwy 78, Ladson, SC 29456)

When: Saturday, June 19th from 2 PM - 10 PM

Event Details: Rally your friends and family to come hang out in Exchange Park and celebrate Juneteenth with an abundance of events and activities. For kids, there will be a petting zoo, water slide/games, face painting, and arts & crafts. There will be a virtual HBCU college fair, Fetter Healthcare Vaccination Clinic, History of Juneteenth presentation, dance performances, live music, panel discussions with local and state politicians, poetry slam, and Sip & Paint workshops! Visit the Root of Soul Festival website to see the full schedule of events! Make sure to purchase tickets by June 18th, which can be found here. 

Juneteenth Celebration at Martin Park

Where: Eastside of Martin Park Playground (located at 155 Jackson St. Charleston, SC 29403)

When: Saturday, June 19th from 1 PM - 10 PM

Event Details: This is a family friendly event with free fun for all ages with live music, food, conversation, art, and dancing! The event is hosted by the Concerned Citizens of Peninsula/Lowcountry (CCPLC) nonprofit organization.

Juneteenth Freedom Fest

Where: Riverfront Park (located at

When: Saturday, June 19th from 2 PM - 10 PM

Event Details: This will be the event of the summer, celebrating the long and powerful journey for liberation. The festival is free to attend, and an estimated 3,000 people are estimated to attend, so make sure to register beforehand at the festival’s website. There will be art, food, live music, activities for kids, local vendors, and representatives of higher education and universities and nonprofit organizations.

4th Anniversary & Juneteenth Celebration

Where: Kulture Beauty & Barber Supply (located at 8780 Rivers Ave, Suite 104, North Charleston, SC)

When: Saturday, June 19th from 11 AM - 4 PM

Event Details: Kulture Beauty & Barber Supply is celebrating a double-holiday, with their 4th anniversary happening on Juneteenth! You are invited to celebrate with them and enjoy food trucks, games, trivia, tons of giveaways, and some amazing weekend deals! The event is free to the public, and there will be multiple local small business vendors in attendance for you to shop!

7th Annual Juneteenth Celebration in Freedom Park

Where: Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park (located at 229 Beach City Rd, Head Island SC 29926)

When: Saturday, June 19th from 11 AM - 3 PM

Event Details: This annual celebration in Hilton Head Island is just a 2 hour drive from downtown Charleston, featuring food from black-owned restaurants Melly Mell’s, Gullah Geechee Cuisines, and Rainbow Ice. You can check out the art and goods from vendors from the Reconstruction Era National Network and Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. There will also be a kids zone with video games, crafts & activities, and live music from the HamilTones, Hallelujah Singers, Inda Walker, and other artists! You can purchase tickets online here until June 19th!

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Gullah Juneteenth Freedom Celebration

Where: Gadsdenboro Park (located at 10 Wharfside Drive, Charleston, SC 29401)

When: Saturday, June 19th from 12 PM - 3 PM

Event Details: The Gullah Geechee Family Foundation will host a celebration of freedom in Gadsdenboro Park, bringing together people from all walks of life to share in the history, art, music, and culture of their Gullah/Geechee ancestors. This intergenerational event is free to attend and open to everyone. Bring chairs, drums, ancestral items, and the whole family to celebrate the Gullah/Geechee people and their freedom!

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Father’s Day Comedy Show

Where: Chucktown Bar & Grill (located at 2467 Unit 5E Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29414)

When: Sunday, June 20th starting at 7 PM

Event Details: Give your dad the sweet gift of laughter this Father’s Day by treating him to a  Comedy Show! Tickets are $25 available online, and there will be complimentary hors d’oeuvres from 7 - 8PM!

P.S. To check out these events live and receive daily updates of what’s happening in Charleston, make sure to follow me on the Whim Social app!