Juneteenth celebrations will be happening in communities across Vermont and Northern New York this year, and many of them will offer guests opportunities to learn more about this important national holiday.Top video: See previous coverageJuneteenth celebrates the day union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to alert slavers that all enslaved Africans and their descendants were free. Each year, June 19 is commemorated as marking the official end to slavery. It became a federal holiday in 2021 during the Biden administration.Here are some of the events in our region you can check out this year to mark the occasion.Vermont Juneteenth EventsCity of Burlington Juneteenth Celebration – June 20, 2026Come down to City Hall Park and Church Street Marketplace for a day of music and festivities to mark Juneteenth in partnership with REIB.Juneteenth in South Burlington – June 17-19, 2026South Burlington is celebrating Juneteenth with three days of programming, including poetry, music and education hosted by local poet Rajnii Eddins. There will also be food and art vendors, and additional events at the South Burlington Library. Juneteenth Winooski – June 17, 2026Winooski residents can celebrate Juneteenth at Rotary Park from 5-8 p.m. with music, food and other activities and free face painting and tattoos for kids.Juneteenth celebration at the Rokeby Museum – June 19, 2026The Rokeby Museum will be offering free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday to help visitors learn about the cultural significance of Juneteenth and the region’s relationship to the abolitionist movement.Bennington Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration, June 19From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Merchants Park in downtown Bennington will be hosting the Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration. The event will feature live music, performances and free food. There will also be speakers and exhibits to celebrate the holiday. The event is free and open to the public.Richmond Juneteenth Celebration – June 19Celebrate Juneteenth at the Richmond Town Center on Friday from 3:30p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Richmond Racial Equity will provide singing and entertainment along with free ice cream.Hartford/Bethel/Lebanon Juneteenth Celebration – June 20The Upper Valley community is invited to come together on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Lyman Point Park in White River Junction. The event is hosted by Vermont State Sen. Joe Major and offers free food from local businesses and entertainment to celebrate the holiday.Juneteenth celebrations in the North CountryClinton and Essex counties are hosting a weekend full of events.Friday kicks off the celebrations with a concert by King Solomon at Retro Live in Plattsburgh. The concert is from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 if bought in advance and are $25 at the door. Saturday hosts a bus tour of historic Underground Railroad sites that will depart from the North Star Underground Railroad Museum in Ausable Chasm. Tickets cost $10 per person or $20 per family. The bus will return to the museum at 4 p.m. On Sunday, John Brown Farm State Park in Lake Placid is hosting a free family-themed fair from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event is a combination of music, dance, kids’ activities, games and food trucks.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. —

Juneteenth celebrations will be happening in communities across Vermont and Northern New York this year, and many of them will offer guests opportunities to learn more about this important national holiday.

Top video: See previous coverage

Juneteenth celebrates the day union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to alert slavers that all enslaved Africans and their descendants were free. Each year, June 19 is commemorated as marking the official end to slavery. It became a federal holiday in 2021 during the Biden administration.

Here are some of the events in our region you can check out this year to mark the occasion.

Vermont Juneteenth Events

City of Burlington Juneteenth Celebration – June 20, 2026

Come down to City Hall Park and Church Street Marketplace for a day of music and festivities to mark Juneteenth in partnership with REIB.

Juneteenth in South Burlington – June 17-19, 2026

South Burlington is celebrating Juneteenth with three days of programming, including poetry, music and education hosted by local poet Rajnii Eddins. There will also be food and art vendors, and additional events at the South Burlington Library.

Juneteenth Winooski – June 17, 2026

Winooski residents can celebrate Juneteenth at Rotary Park from 5-8 p.m. with music, food and other activities and free face painting and tattoos for kids.

Juneteenth celebration at the Rokeby Museum – June 19, 2026

The Rokeby Museum will be offering free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday to help visitors learn about the cultural significance of Juneteenth and the region’s relationship to the abolitionist movement.

Bennington Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration, June 19

From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Merchants Park in downtown Bennington will be hosting the Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration. The event will feature live music, performances and free food. There will also be speakers and exhibits to celebrate the holiday. The event is free and open to the public.

Richmond Juneteenth Celebration – June 19

Celebrate Juneteenth at the Richmond Town Center on Friday from 3:30p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Richmond Racial Equity will provide singing and entertainment along with free ice cream.

Hartford/Bethel/Lebanon Juneteenth Celebration – June 20

The Upper Valley community is invited to come together on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Lyman Point Park in White River Junction. The event is hosted by Vermont State Sen. Joe Major and offers free food from local businesses and entertainment to celebrate the holiday.

Juneteenth celebrations in the North Country

Clinton and Essex counties are hosting a weekend full of events.

Friday kicks off the celebrations with a concert by King Solomon at Retro Live in Plattsburgh. The concert is from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 if bought in advance and are $25 at the door.

Saturday hosts a bus tour of historic Underground Railroad sites that will depart from the North Star Underground Railroad Museum in Ausable Chasm. Tickets cost $10 per person or $20 per family. The bus will return to the museum at 4 p.m.

On Sunday, John Brown Farm State Park in Lake Placid is hosting a free family-themed fair from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event is a combination of music, dance, kids’ activities, games and food trucks.