Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth in Charlottesville and Albemarle County

With a rich history and a vibrant Black community, the Charlottesville area comes alive during Juneteenth. Explore all of the events happening this month to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

UPDATED 6/13/25

James Monroe's Highland

June 14, 2025 from 10am-4pm

Descendants Day at James Monroe’s Highland

2050 James Monroe Parkway
Charlottesville, VA 22902

The Highland Council of Descendant Advisors welcomes anyone working on or interested in the histories of slavery, the shared work of making our present and future more equitable based on historical knowledge, and collaboration in research.

Plan to share information, resources, and encouragement with others journeying on the same path. Space is available to display your community's resources and stories. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged.

Register to Attend

June 14, 2025 from 9am-3pm

Juneteenth Parade and Emancipation Concert at the Jefferson School

233 4th St NW
Charlottesville, VA 22903

If you are part of an African American organization, March with us from Jackson P. Burley to the Jefferson School City Center as we recognize this special day. This year’s Grand Marshal is Mayor Juan Diego Wade. The line-up for the parade begins at 9 am. Register to Parade with Us!-– Click the Link: Book Online

Stay for the Black Business Expo, which will be on the yard with over 20 Black owned businesses, a pitch contest and entrepreneurial panels. The main stage will have an Emancipation Concert featuring local and regional artists (Jennifer Tal at 12pm and Ebony Groove at 2PM)

See Schedule

June 19, 2025 From 10AM-3PM

Historic River View Farm Tour

Join Ivy Creek Foundation for a tour of Historic River View Farm. Explore the lives of the Carr/Greer family and their journey to landownership, farming, and education. You will also learn about their contributions to their community, commitment to equality and equal rights, and their lasting legacy. Space is limited, so registration is required:

10-11AM tour: https://app.dvforms.net/api/dv/vyywyl

3-4PM tour: https://app.dvforms.net/api/dv/y3jd3d

While you're there, explore the opening of the barn. This was formerly the showpiece of the working farm known as River View Farm. It is also one of the reasons that River View Farm is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with contributions of the Carr/Greer family to their community.

Learn More

June 19, 2025 From 12PM-8PM

Eastwood Farm & Winery

Join Black Women Who Wine and SugarBear Ice Cream at Eastwood Farm & Winery on June 19 for a special Juneteenth Wine & Ice Cream Pairing! There will also be live music from the Jen Tal & Jamal Millner Duo (12-3PM) and Meisha Herron (5-8PM)

Learn More

June 19, 2025

The Tonsler League

The Tournament of Champions Men's Basketball plays from 5-9PM. There will be live music, a moon bounce, and a cookout -- come join the community at Tonsler Park!

Learn More

June 19, 2025 from 6PM-8PM

The Art Bar

Join The Art Bar for a fun, family-friendly day! Learn popular line dances with our on-site instructor, indulge in drinks and mocktails, and create your own craft masterpiece. There will be gelato from Splendora, Cookies by Lita, plenty of food, and opportunities to vibe. $30 cover fee.

Buy Tickets

June 20, 2025 at 5:30PM

Fridays After Five: Ebony Groove

Head to the Ting Pavilion, located just on the historic Downtown Mall, for a free concert from Ebony Groove! This band, formed in the late Fall of 1987 as a student-run pep band for the Charlottesville High School Basketball Team, has been performing its own distinct blend of D.C. Go-Go, R&B, Jazz and Hip Hop for enthusiastic audiences all over Virgina and the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Learn More

June 21, 2025 from 12PM-4PM

Juneteenth Rooftop Reunion Brunch

Join the Black Professional Network of Charlottesville at Rooftop Charlottesville for a free brunch buffet and more! There will be music from DJ Almighty and free parking. This event is in Partnership with Charlottesville’s Juneteenth Celebration presented by the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center

Learn More
Credit: @cfangvisuals

June 21, 2025 at 3PM and 7PM

Bellringer: Celebrating the Poetry of Rita Dove

Rotunda at the University of Virginia
1826 University Ave
Charlottesville, VA 22904

Early Music Access Project collaborates with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Rita Dove for a program that celebrates the intersection of poetry and music. Composer and bass-baritone Jonathan Woody will perform the world premiere of his own new work, a setting of Dove’s poem “Bellringer”. This poem honors the life of Henry Martin, an enslaved bell ringer at the University of Virginia’s Rotunda who was born at Monticello the day Thomas Jefferson died. Dove has also curated a selection of poems that will be heard throughout the remainder of the program, with musicians from Early Music Access Project providing a wide range of musical responses, from Shakespearean tunes to Beethoven sonatas.

These concerts are FREE and open to the public, but online ticket reservations are encouraged.

Register Online

Local Sites to Explore

Visit the Memorial To Enslaved Laborers at UVA

The Memorial to Enslaved Laborers (MEL) acknowledges the work and individual lives of the enslaved African Americans who built the University of Virginia and sustained daily life from its founding...

Learn more

Visit the ​“Pride Overcomes Prejudice” Exhibit

Visit the Jefferson School’s permanent exhibition, Pride Overcomes Prejudice. The exhibition presents the history of the African American communities of Charlottesville and Albemarle County through the lives of those students and teachers who built and fostered the Jefferson School...

Learn More

Take the Enslaved Community Tour at Montpelier

This walking tour of significant sites examines one of America’s largest paradoxes: a nation where “all men are created equal” built by those who are denied the exact freedoms they were laboring to establish...

Learn more

Related Content: