Residents dance during the Spartanburg Juneteenth Celebration Weekend in 2023. Events for the holiday kick off June 13 in 2024. The City of Spartanburg/Provided
- The City of Spartanburg/Provided
Top Story
Benjamin Simon
GREENVILLE – On June 19, 1865, about 2,000 Union Army troops marched into Galveston, Texas, and announced that the state's 250,000 enslaved people were freed.
That day, June 19, became known as Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slaveryand the country’s second independence day.
Though it has been celebrated in the Black community with food, music and festivities since as early as 1866, it only became a national holiday when President Joe Biden signed it into law in 2021.
Sign up for updates!
Get the latest Greenville news from The Post and Courier in your inbox.
There are plenty of events on June 19 to observe Juneteenth. But there's also festivities, conversations and block parties happening throughout the week to check out.
Here's what to take in:
Discuss and Dance
June 13 to 15
Downtown Spartanburg
It will be all things Juneteenth in downtown Spartanburg from June 13-15. Start with an educational discussion about reparations at Wofford College on Thursday evening. Dance to the live DJ at a block party at Love Where You Live Park on Friday. And then close out the weekend’s events on Saturday with a downtown festival with local vendors, live music and a kid’s area.
Food
How a Charleston Wine + Food event created a generational moment in Gullah-Geechee cooking
- By Alan Hovorkaahovorka@postandcourier.com
Art Exhibit
June 13 to 26
Chapman Cultural Center, 200 East Saint John St., Spartanburg
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) from across the Southeast will showcase their work at this second annual juried arts exhibit, which will highlight folk art, quilters, weavers and more.
Greenville Gala
June 14 from 6 p.m. to midnight.
Greenville Convention Center, 1 Exposition Dr., Greenville
Celebrate Juneteenth with this extravagant gala, featuring a Black-owned small business market, music by the Devon Parker Collective and the best-dressed people you know. Tickets start at $125 per person. A portion of the proceeds will go toward scholarships for local high school students.
Greer Gala
June 14 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Cannon Centre, 204 Cannon St., Greer
Located in this historic 1936 National Guard Armory, Cannon Centre will host its first-ever Juneteenth gala, featuring food, music and dancing. Tickets are $50.
Anderson Juneteenth
June 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Westside Community Center, 1100 W. Franklin St., Anderson
Water slides? Trick-shot games? Local vendors? This Juneteenth celebration in Anderson has it all.
Soul Food Festival
June 15 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
City of Fountain Inn, 110 Depot St., Fountain Inn
One of Fountain Inn’s largest festivals of the year, you’ll find clothing markets, artisans, food trucks, live music and spoken word poetry all in downtown.
Spartanburg Business
Walkers find safe routine at Spartanburg's WestGate Mall. Real estate VP says that won't change.
- By Chris Lavenderclavender@postandcourier.com
Paint and Social
June 15 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Judson Mill Social Innovation Center, 701 Easley Bridge Road #STE 6070, Greenville
Commemorate this Juneteenth by learning how to paint at Judson Mill with help from a professional artist. Once your done, enjoy music from DJ Kels, food, drink and dancing. Tickets start at $25.
Poetry Open Mic
June 16 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Coffee Underground, 1 East Coffee St., Greenville
Join Coffee Underground in downtown Greenville for a Juneteenth-themed open mic stand-up. There are only 35 tickets, priced at $10, so move quickly.
Black Market
June 18 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
McClellan’s at Monarch Cafe, 498 Howard St., Spartanburg
After finishing work on June 18, visit McClellan’s at Monarch Cafein Spartanburg’s Northside neighborhood for Black Market Tuesday. You’ll find a sea of vendors, handmade crafts, food, art and more in honor of Juneteenth.
History of Slavery in Clemson
June 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fort Hill, 520 Fort Hill St., Clemson
Clemson University will focus Juneteenth on the history of slavery in Pickens County. This will feature a tour of Fort Hill planation with an emphasis on enslaved people, reading the names of the 139 enslaved people in Pickens County and a tour of the African American Burial Ground. There will also be spoken word poetry, drinks and music.
Juneteenth at Unity Park
June 19 from 9:30 a.m. to noon
Unity Park, 320 South Hudson St., Greenville
The City of Greenville will host multiple events at Unity Park on the morning of Juneteenth, including a parade on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a discussion panel and food by McCoy’s BBQ and Sassy's Shaved Ice.
Greenville News
Art project part of $3M effort to preserve former Greenville Black clinic relocated for apartments
- By Benjamin Simonbsimon@postandcourier.com
Race Seminar
June 19 from 6 to 7:45 p.m.
Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 8805 Van Wyck Rd., Spartanburg
Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Spartanburg will offer the opportunity to listen, learn and share on Juneteenth with a conversation about race relations and the history of this 159-year-old holiday.
Spartanburg Gala
June 21 from 6:45 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Chapman Cultural Center, 200 East Saint John St., Spartanburg
If you’re in Spartanburg and looking to celebrate Juneteenth in glamorous fashion, this is your activity. You’ll find a red carpet, live DJ, fancy dresses, awards, a gala and an afterparty.
City of Mauldin Juneteenth Celebration
June 22 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Mauldin Cultural Center Outdoor Amphitheater, 101 East Butler Rd., Mauldin
It’s the city of Mauldin’s inaugural Juneteenth celebration. There will be hit songs from the '90s, educational information about Black history in Mauldin, 25 market vendors, dance performances, beer from Growler Haus and a LEGO station for kids.
More information
- Juneteenth brings festivities and road closures to downtown Spartanburg
Benjamin Simon
- Author email
Similar Stories
'Had to shoot': Sheriff explains why deputy fatally shot man, 55, during disturbance call
One man was fatally shot by a deputy the night of June 15 after a disturbance in a West Greenville neighborhood. Read more'Had to shoot': Sheriff explains why deputy fatally shot man, 55, during disturbance call
New Greenville restaurants are opening this week. Here are the highlights.
The newest restaurants to open in Greenville this week. Read moreNew Greenville restaurants are opening this week. Here are the highlights.
Smash Mouth to play free Upstate concert. The band shares where they are 23 years after 'Shrek'
You can see the Grammy-nominated band for free in Simpsonville on June 30 during Simply Freedom Festival. Read moreSmash Mouth to play free Upstate concert. The band shares where they are 23 years after 'Shrek'
Here's how to celebrate Juneteenth in the Upstate
There's a variety of ways to celebrate Juneteenth in Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson. Check out galas, block parties and a soul food festival. Read moreHere's how to celebrate Juneteenth in the Upstate
Editor's Picks
Top Story Editor's Pick Spotlight
Charleston's mayor has a plan for city's homeless. But will it work as prices keep rising?
Top Story Editor's Pick
Struggling with reservations? Here are tips for scoring seats at Charleston restaurants
Top Story Editor's Pick Spotlight
What can solve South Carolina's rural health care crisis?
Top Story Editor's Pick
These Charleston area restaurants have open kitchens. Do chefs like or loathe them?
, Post and Courier, an Evening Post Publishing Newspaper Group. All rights reserved. | Terms of Sale | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
