Juneteenth 2022: Tampa Bay Freedom Day Celebrations

TAMPA BAY, FL — Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought news of freedom to enslaved African Americans in Texas, even though the Emancipation Proclamation had freed slaves 2 ½ years earlier.

In 2021, June 19 became an official federal holiday.

While nearly every state has issued a proclamation or passed a resolution recognizing Juneteenth, only 20 states have approved legislation to make it a state holiday, close state government offices and give state employees paid time off.

Although a bill has come before the Florida Legislature several times, it's yet to be approved as a state holiday.

Juneteenth Colors To Shine In Tampa

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and her staff along with members of the Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition gathered Friday for Tampa's third annual Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony and Festival.

The city also debuted its Soul Walk, an engaging African American cultural and heritage trail.

Throughout the weekend, Old City Hall, Curtis Hixon Park and the downtown bridges will shine yellow, red and green to further commemorate the importance of this occasion.

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Juneteenth Bus

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will unveil a new bus wrap that encapsulates diversity on Saturday, June 18, from 5 to 8 p.m. at John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park, 420 Main St., Dunedin.

Professional animator and illustrator Donavon Brutus won PSTA’s “Diversity Drives Us” competition, and will have his artwork wrapped around an active bus, which will make its debut as part of PSTA’s celebration of Juneteenth.

PSTA selected Brutus’ design because it captures PSTA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mission Statement.

'The Mountaintop' On Stage

The West Coast Players will present "The Mountaintop" by Katori Hall June 18 at 8 p.m. and June 19 at 2 p.m. at the Great Live Theatre, 21905 U.S. 19, Clearwater.

Set in Memphis on the eve of his assassination, this soul-stirring drama finds Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. confiding his doubts, fears and morbid premonitions to a sassy motel maid — a deceptively trite situation that Hall transforms into an emotionally powerful and theatrically stunning moment of truth.

Tickets are on sale by clicking here.

Clearwater Juneteenth

The city of Clearwater invites the public to a Juneteenth holiday celebration presented in partnership with Artz for Life Academy and the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition on Saturday, June 18, at Walter C. Campbell Park, 801 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., from noon to 4 p.m.

Join the city, its partners, and local dignitaries for a family-friendly event offering free food, drinks, bounce houses, vendors, DJ music, door prizes, live entertainment and a program of events, including song and dance presentations, a poetry reading, a Juneteenth re-enactment and a historical perspective provided by Dr. Joy Moore-Cruse of St. Petersburg College.

In addition, on Saturday, June 18, from 1 to 2 p.m., the legacy of Frederick Douglass will be presented in a performance by Donald L. Dowridge Jr., whose one-man portrayal of Douglass spotlights his triumphant rise from slavery to statesman.

The performance will take place at Countryside Library, 2642 Sabal Springs Drive.

Dunedin Juneteenth Celebration

The city of Dunedin will host a Juneteenth Celebration on June 18 in Pioneer Park between 5 and 8 p.m.

Attendees will enjoy live music, dance performances, craft and food vendors, poetry and more.

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans and celebrates the African-American culture.

New Port Richey Juneteenth

Last year, President Joe Biden signed a bill into law designating June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day. The federal holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, and is the first federal holiday established since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.

To celebrate, the city council invites residents to join the African American Club of Pasco County for its Juneteenth Family BBQ event on Saturday, June 18 from noon to 5 p.m. at the historic Booker T. Washington School at 6105 Pine Hill Road.

Additionally, the advocacy group, End Recidivism, will host a Juneteenth End Recidivism Project Extreme Saturday, June 18, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Sims Park in downtown New Port Richey, featuring live music, poetry and food. Click here.

Sankofa Juneteenth Freedom Fest

The second annual Sankofa Juneteenth Freedom Festival will take place Saturday, June 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1924 E Comanche Ave., Tampa.

The free event will feature an outdoor festival and shopping with Black-owned local businesses and food trucks.

Additionally, those attending will celebrate Black history and freedom with speaker the Rev. Dr. Arthur Faust of Houston, Texas; poet Life; poet Kiki Kaumu; performances by D.I.M.L.; a Trinidad & Tobago Multicultural Expo; Xaviar & the Trinidad & Tobago Drummers; DJ Freaky Freddy, face painting; and vendors offering African and urban apparel, T-shirts, arts and crafts, jewelry, butters and scrubs, natural juices, vegan foods and bean pies.

There will be door prizes and raffles all day.

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Gulfport Juneteenth

Gulfport will host its second annual Gulfport Juneteenth celebration, presented by Gulfport Kiwanis Club, Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gulfport Recreation Center (backfield), 5730 Shore Blvd. S.

There will be music, games, local vendors including soul food, music and entertainment by Corey Thornton, snow cones, Juneteenth speakers and presentations, Ray and Bucs street teams and swag, raffles and lunch for kids.

Juneteenth Cultural Festival

Enjoy a Juneteenth Cultural Festival featuring a block party atmosphere of live music from DJs, food trucks, retail shopping, a food and toy drive, job fair, free health clinic and more Saturday, June 18 from 3 to 9 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium, Lot 3.

The cost is $10.

Click here.

Juneteenth Film Screening

Tampa Theatre, 711 N Franklin St., Tampa, will host a screening of "Paper Line," a locally produced PG-13 live-action short film about a secret fraternity of Black martial artists at a prestigious HBCU in Florida.

Filming this new project primarily in Tampa Bay, director Ryan Watson took inspiration from a broad catalog of influences, most significantly from Civil-Rights-era Black activist groups like the Black Panthers.

The Panthers and others regularly held organized martial arts training as part of their plan to inspire their community and defend their neighborhoods from the violence created by gangs and drugs from within, and violence by anti-Black aggression from the outside.

The free screening will be shown Saturday, June 18 at 3 p.m. Doors open at 2 p.m.

There will be a live martial arts demonstration before the film.

The first 150 guests will get free popcorn.

A talk-back with Watson and his team will follow the screening.

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Freedom Day

The Tampa Museum of Art, 120 Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa, will host “Freedom Day” with free admission, art-making activities, live music, performances, family portraits and food trucks Sunday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Advance registration is required. Click here.

Juneteenth Flag-Raising

For the first time, Hillsborough County raised a flag in honor of Juneteenth Wednesday at the Fredrick B. Karl Center after the county commission unanimously approved making Juneteenth a county holiday.

Each element in the design of the Juneteenth flag has meaning, including a star representing Texas and the freedom of African Americans throughout the country, an outline around the star inspired by a nova and signifying a new beginning for African Americans, and an arc that extends across the width of the flag that represents a new horizon of promise and opportunities. The flag’s colors are red, white and blue.

The flag will fly through June 30.