Juneteenth Kicks Off In Falls Church With Various Celebrations

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Juneteenth observances in Falls Church kick off with various events, from the Hour of Power: Story-time on Tinner Hill in Falls Church to Arlington's Juneteenth Celebration.

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.

One event to kick off the weekend is the Juneteenth Celebration with the Arlington Historical Society, Arlington Branch of the NAACP and the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington on June 16 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The program will include speakers sharing the history of Black community leaders in Arlington.

In Falls Church, the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation will host the Hour of Power: Story-time on Tinner Hill on June 19 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. This event for children ages 4 to 11 will teach them about Juneteenth with a book reading.

In Alexandria, various Juneteenth observances are planned. A few highlights are the Juneteenth African American History Bus Tour on June 17 at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Juneteenth at the Alexandria Archaeology Museum on June 16 from 11 am. to 4 p.m., Athenaeum and Carlyle House Historic Park Annual Juneteenth Celebration on June 17 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Washington Revels Jubilee Voices Concert Singing the Journey: Juneteenth Joy at Market Square on June 19 at 2 p.m.

In Vienna, check out the ongoing Liberty Amendments Month from June 17 to July 17. It all kicks off with a Juneteenth Celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 17 at First Baptist Church, 450 Orchard Street NW, Vienna. There will be live music from Common Ground Jazz, food trucks, craft vendors, children's book giveaway, children's games and activities, voter registration and other resources.

Nearby Washington, DC is one of the top destinations to celebrate Juneteenth, U.S. News & World Report said in a story earlier this month. The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture will hold various events, including a Juneteenth Community Day on June 17 from 11 a.m. to. 3 p.m. Another observance will be the National Archives displaying the original Emancipation Proclamation from June 17 to 19 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Related: What Is Juneteenth? Celebrating The End Of Slavery

Because Juneteenth is an official U.S. holiday, banks, federal offices and post offices in Falls Church will be closed Monday. Many state, county and local government offices will be closed as well, including:

• City of Falls Church government offices
• Falls Church City Public Schools
• Fairfax County government offices
• Fairfax County Public Schools
• Arlington County and Fairfax County courts
• Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles locations
• Mary Riley Styles Public Library
• Fairfax County Public Library locations
• Falls Church Community Center

Adjusted Openings

• Metro weekend hours are 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to midnight Sunday and Monday. The shutdown of the Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church and East Falls Church stations continue. Silver Line trains run between Ashburn and McLean and between Ballston and Downtown Largo, while Orange Line runs from Ballston to New Carrollton.
• Fairfax Connector will have holiday weekday service on June 19. That means all routes operate regular weekday service except: Routes 231, 232, 335, 393, 394, 395, 396, 432, 461, 494, 495, 599, 624, 634, 697, 698, 699, 715, 722, 724, 834 and 835 which will not operate.
• Fairfax County recreation centers are open regular hours.
• Trash and recycling customer service center is closed on June 19. County collection customers will have regular trash and recycling collection. The I-66 Transfer Station and the I-95 Landfill Complex are open.