On Juneteenth, African American history, heritage and influence take center stage. Orlando is celebrating with a host of unique events in 2023 — and you are invited to join the festivities (Lake Eola Park pictured).
Established as a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth National Independence Day, aka Juneteenth — a combination of the words “June” and “Nineteenth” — marks the final emancipation of African Americans who suffered through slavery, with the last announcement being made in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. Join us as we celebrate our African American community with vibrant Juneteenth events in Orlando, including cultural expositions, high-energy parties and much more, plus other unforgettable ways to honor this important day.
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Juneteenth Events in Orlando for 2023
Celebrate #OrlandoForAll with lively Juneteenth events in Orlando. More events will be added as they’re announced, so check back in the lead up to June 19.
Discover: Orlando Events
1887 Juneteenth Weekend (June 16 – 18, 2023)
The historic town of Eatonville, one of the first incorporated Black towns in America, invites you to enjoy three days of celebratory fun during 1887 Juneteenth Weekend. Dust off your tuxedos and dashikis for the Wakandan Father’s Day Gala on June 16, featuring African dancers, drummers and entertainment, followed by a Juneteenth Parade and Vibranium Central Florida Juneteenth Festival of Arts on June 17. This free event will feature live music and entertainment, global cuisine, a kiddie corner and the only Juneteenth fireworks show in Orlando. Finally, celebrate African American resilience on June 18 in the Juneteenth Freedom Celebration.
Discover: Orlando History
Juneteenth 407 Weekend (June 16 – 18, 2023)
Celebrate African American culture and resilience with a curated series of events in downtown Orlando’s historic Parramore neighborhood. Hosted by Black Friday Orlando, this multi-day celebration will begin with a Black Friday Scavenger Hunt (June 16 – 17), followed by a Better Together Mixer (June 16); a Juneteenth Block Party featuring food trucks, a kids zone and DJ (June 17); and The Anti Brunch, an all-inclusive Father’s Day brunch at The Monroe in Orlando’s Creative Village (June 18).
Discover: Things to Do in Downtown Orlando
Orlando R&B Music Experience (June 16, 2023)
Tyrese, Xscape, Ginuwine, El deBarge, 112, Silk and Next will take the stage at Orlando’s Kia Center in Orlando R&B Music Experience, a celebration of R&B’s rich history. Short for “rhythm and blues,” R&B originated in African American communities in the 1940s and remains popular to this day.
Discover: Orlando Arts & Culture
8th Annual Juneteenth Celebration in Hannibal Square (June 17, 2023)
The Hannibal Square Heritage Center and Crealdé School of Art will host the 8th annual Juneteenth Celebration: Knowing, Remembering, and Shifting the Narrative at the Winter Park Community Center, featuring guest speakers from the Real Rosewood Foundation and the Frost Museum in Miami. Enjoy free admission to the Hannibal Square Heritage Center, where you can view the traveling “An Elegy to Rosewood” exhibition and explore the permanent collection of photographs, oral histories and public art inspired by African American history.
Discover: Hannibal Square Heritage Center
2023 City of Orlando Juneteenth Celebration (June 17, 2023)
The City of Orlando will host its second annual Juneteenth Celebration at Clear Lake Park, adjacent to downtown Orlando, featuring live music and entertainment, a kid’s zone, vendor village and food trucks.
Black-Ish: Juneteenth All Black Party (June 17, 2023)
Nightshade Lounge in downtown Orlando will host a Black-Ish: Juneteenth All Black Party, featuring drink and bottle specials from 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. Wear all black and RSVP online to enjoy free admission until 11 p.m.
Juneteenth in Winter Park: Jazz & Jubilee A Night Under the Stars (June 17, 2023)
Celebrate freedom, community and the power of music in the historic African American community of Hannibal Square at Juneteenth in Winter Park: Jazz & Jubilee A Night Under the Stars. Enjoy live jazz music, dance, delicious bites and opportunities to shop some of the best cultural wear, custom jewelry and art from Central Florida’s Black-owned businesses.
Discover: Black-Owned Restaurants in Orlando
Juneteenth Resource & Cultural Arts Festival (June 17, 2023)
20 minutes southwest of Orlando, the city of Ocoee will host a Juneteenth Resource & Cultural Arts Festival at Bill Breeze Park. The festival will include community resources, cultural arts, performers and members of the Florida legislature, including representatives from the Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture in downtown Orlando.
Discover: Peek Inside The Wells'Built Museum of African American History and Culture
3rd Annual Lunch & Learn: A BGTM Juneteenth Event (June 18, 2023)
In Loch Haven Cultural Park, the Florida Theatre Association, Black Girl Theatre Magic and Orlando Family Stage (formerly Orlando Repertory Theatre) will host a family-friendly Lunch & Learn: A BGTM Juneteenth Event centered around Juneteenth history and celebration. This free event will include a delicious barbecue lunch, engaging readings of children’s books about Juneteenth, face painting, a DJ bubble party by DJ Jaé and other exciting activities.
Juneteenth Field Day (June 19, 2023)
Bring your family and friends to Juneteenth Field Day, hosted at Barnett Park, and enjoy a variety of games and activities for all ages, including tug-of-war, potato sack races, water balloon toss and more. Food and drinks will also be available.
Facets of Freedom: A Celebration of Juneteenth (June 19, 2023)
Celebrate African American artistry with musical performances, dance, visual arts and spoken word at Facets of Freedom: A Celebration of Juneteenth at the Renaissance Theatre Company. Tucked away in Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village District, the celebration is hosted by Black Girl Theatre Magic in partnership with No Drama Entertainment, New Generation Theatrical, Central Florida Vocal Arts, EatMe360, Hawkmoon Entertainment and Creative City Orlando.
Discover: Things to Do in Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village Main Street District
Summer at Your Library: Fyütch Concert
Grammy-nominated artist Fyütch will host a special Juneteenth-inspired concert at the Eatonville Branch Library, featuring songs about community, Black history and culture. The unique blend of hip hop, soul, R&B, and pop is recommended for ages up to 12.
More Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth in Orlando
Discover Orlando’s rich African American history and cultural influences at destinations throughout Orlando.
Discover: Diversity & Inclusion in Orlando
In downtown Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood, one of the oldest African American neighborhoods in Orlando, the Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture features memorabilia of Orlando’s African American community, displays of the Civil Rights movement, and African art and artifacts. Nearby in the West Lakes Market Street District, Tinker Field History Plaza pays tribute to memorable historic events, including a moving Civil Rights speech from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1964. Both locations are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Discover: Downtown Orlando & Parramore
In Winter Park, the Hannibal Square Historic District celebrates the contributions of Orlando’s African American community, including the South Florida Railroad workers who first occupied the neighborhood. Enjoy exhibits dedicated to the African American experience, Black heritage, cultural preservation and Southern folklore at the Hannibal Square Heritage Center. It’s operated by the Crealdé School of Art, which offers classes, exhibits and festivals dedicated to the preservation of African American history all year long.
Discover: Things to Do in Winter Park
Finally, the historic town of Eatonville, located 15 minutes north of Orlando, is well worth a visit. Founded in 1887, two decades after the end of slavery in the United States, Eatonville served as a haven for newly emancipated African Americans with the motto, “The Town That Freedom Built.” Famously depicted in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, the author’s childhood home also hosts the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts and annual ZORA! Festival.
