Juneteenth Kicks Off In St. Petersburg With Freedom Fest

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Juneteenth observances in the St. Petersburg area kick off with the Juneteenth Freedom Fest hosted by Saturday Morning Shoppes on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the Tropicana Field Lot 1.

The Monday, June 19, national holiday commemorates the day in 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, when word finally reached the last enslaved people in Texas that the Civil War had ended, and they were free.

Also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, Juneteenth is the oldest-known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation making it a federal holiday, the first since the addition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.

• Related: What Is Juneteenth? Celebrating The End Of Slavery

Other Juneteenth events in the St. Petersburg area include:

• Celebrate Juneteenth, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the historic Gulfport Casino. This event is open to teens, youth and their families, offering attendees music, games, local vendors and nonprofits, food, and more.
• Shades of Pride Festival: A LGBTQ+ and Juneteenth Celebration, Saturday, 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. A celebration of Black and brown LGBTQ+ culture with vendors, entertainment and more.
• Juneteenth Poetry Slam, Saturday, 8:30 to 10:30 p.m., at The Factory St. Pete.
• Juneteenth Community Festival, Sunday, 2 to 6 p.m., at Gibbs High School. Enjoy music and various activities, including a video game arcade, a paint ‘n’ sip workshop and gardening workshops.
• Juneteenth: Praising the Father on Father’s Day, Sunday, 5 to 7 p.m., on the Deuces, at 22nd Street S. and 9th Avenue S. This live gospel concert includes the Community Love Ensemble, Jimmy Miracle Golden, SunLovePeace and more. Free event.
• Juneteenth Celebration, Monday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Woodson African American Museum of Florida. Free event.
• Juneteenth BBQ, Beats and Cultural Celebration, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Floridian Social. Donations accepted. Barbecue prepared by Mr. I Got ‘Em and music by Ed John.

Because Juneteenth is an official U.S. holiday, banks, federal offices and post offices in St. Petersburg will be closed Monday.

Many state, county and local government offices will be closed as well, including:

• St. Petersburg City Hall
• Pinellas County government offices
• Federal offices
• U.S. Post Office

Garbage and recycling pickup in St. Petersburg will be delayed by a day. Trash and recycling collection regularly scheduled for Monday will be made on Tuesday. Tuesday collections will be made on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday collections remain the same.