Juneteenth 2025 Events
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, in partnership with the City of Asheville, has planned the 2025 Juneteenth Celebration with the intended outcomes of a diverse celebration that fosters broad participation, promotes community awareness and appreciation, and celebrates the liberation of enslaved people.
Dating back to 1865, two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This started the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. The City of Asheville designated Juneteenth as a city holiday in 2021, and on June 11, 2024 Mayor Esther Manheimer issued a proclamation acknowledging Juneteenth as a day of celebration for Black Americans.
Event Schedule
All events are free and open to the public. The Juneteenth Discussions Sessions will feature either a film or dinner followed by local leaders speaking on topics such removing Confederate monuments and genealogy. Also, come celebrate with us at Juneteenth At DownTown After 5 and at the Juneteenth Gala.
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Film and Discussion “A Time to Yell” Monday, June 16 | 5:30PM – 8:00PM Location: Stephens Lee Community Center Film and Discussion on removing Confederate monuments. |
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Film and Discussion “Life of Julius Rosenwald” Tuesday, June 17 | 5:30PM – 8:00PM Location: Stephens Lee Community Center Film and Discussion of the Rosenwald Schools. Remembrance program of the June 21, 1964 killing of Civil Rights workers, Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner. |
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Dinner & Discussion Wednesday, June 18 | 5:30PM – 8:00PM Location: Stephens Lee Community Center Dinner and discussion by Sasha Mitchell on tips on Genealogical research (tracing your family tree). |
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Juneteenth Celebration Song Thursday, June 19 | 12:00PM – 2:00PM Location: Shiloh Friendship Center Gala & Fashion Show
Thursday, June 19 | 6:00PM – 9:00PM Location: AB-Tech Conference Tickets: Reserve your free tickets. |
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Downtown After 5 Friday, June 20 | 5:00PM – Location: Pack Square |
All events are FREE to the public due to the generous donations and/or sponsorships of the following organizations:
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Elise Caplan
I attended some of this years events and I’d like to be a volunteer to help in planning next year.
Melissa Reardon
Hi. I’m working on Explore Asheville’s 2026 Visitor Guide. For the calendar, I’m just confirming that Juneteenth Celebrations will again be happening at various locations in June of 2026? I can’t imagine that wouldn’t be the case, but just doing my due diligence to confirm everything. Please confirm as soon as possible. Thank you so much!