A smiling person wearing sunglasses, a black head wrap with “Juneteenth” decorations, a red jacket, and a yellow shirt with a Juneteenth pendant.
SSan Francisco

Photos: SF marks Juneteenth with music, dance, and a parade

  • June 21, 2026

Published Jun. 20, 2026at5:00pm

Thousands of people lined Market Street on Saturday for San Francisco’s fourth annual Juneteenth parade, marking the day in 1865 when enslaved Black Texans learned of their emancipation.

Floats from Black-led organizations, many draped in the colors of the Pan African flag, moved through the street alongside Black cowboys, a church choir, and a procession of classic cars.

The procession ended with a party at Embarcadero Plaza.

A smiling man makes a peace sign while seated in a gray classic car, and a woman stands through the sunroof waving a colorful flag.Donald and Tasha Reed roll by during the Market Street procession.

Juneteenth has been a federal holiday only since 2021, but the backdrop to this year’s celebrations was difficult to ignore. The Trump administration has moved to dismantle diversity and equity initiatives across the federal government, and the National Park Service no longer offers free-entry days for Juneteenth or Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

A smiling man in sunglasses stands behind a girl with face paint wearing a maroon “I love being Black” shirt, with others and a clock tower in the background.Cornelius Dorsey and his daughter Zhanae smile during the parade.A group of young people in white shirts and black shorts dance in an outdoor plaza while spectators watch and record them on phones.Dancers from Feline Finesse Dance Company perform after the parade.A market stall displays colorful stained-glass floral decorations and mirrors, with a woman reflected in one mirror and people walking in the background.An attendee walks past flower sun catchers from Wundergarten.A man wearing dark sunglasses, a red fez hat, black outfit with white gloves, and a colorful medallion stands on a city street near a green vintage car.Walter Lucas from Thutmose Temple 74 walks along Market Street.