Juneteenth—Freedom Celebration
Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States, is observed in Hayward with a downtown event, flag raisings, and exhibits and programs at Hayward Public Library throughout the month of June.
Watch footage from past Juneteenth Celebrations on our YouTube Channel above
Other ways to celebrate Juneteenth in Hayward
- Throughout the month of June, Hayward Public Library also will be marking Juneteenth with book displays, decorations and special programs. For more information, view the HPL calendar of events here.
- At noon on Wednesday, June 18, the City of Hayward will host ceremonial raisings of the Juneteenth and Pan African flags, in recognition of the long history of African American liberation efforts, which inspired racial equity and freedom movements around the world.
Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
The Fifth Annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration, on Saturday, June 21, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Heritage Plaza, 835 C Street, with live music, a variety of foods and other vendors.
Performance Schedule
TIME | PERFORMANCE | STAGE |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00 - 2:05 p.m. | Opening Remarks | Main Stage |
| 2:05 - 2:10 p.m. | Moe Soul (Song) Black National Anthem | Main Stage |
| 2:15 - 2:20 p.m. | Antoine Johnson (Speech) | Main Stage |
| 2:20 - 2:40 p.m. | Leo and the Blues Knockouts (Blues) | Main Stage |
| 2:50 - 3:00 p.m. | Treasures Unleashed I Am! Youth (Short Play) The Day of Jubilee | Pavilion Stage |
| 3:05 - 3:15 p.m. | Dynamic Dancing Cobras (Praise Dance) Martin Luther King Middle School | Pavilion Stage |
| 3:15 - 3:25 p.m. | Monarch Soul Steppers of Mt. Eden High School (Drill) | Pavilion Stage |
| 3:30 - 4:15 p.m. | Russell City Memorial Blues Band (Blues and R&B) | Main Stage |
| 3:30 - 4:15 p.m. | Turf Feinz (Dance Crew) | Kickback Zone |
| 4:20 - 4:50 p.m. | Sounds Definition (Saxophonist), Eric Bli Bi (Drummer) and KGKM DJ | Pavilion Stage |
| 4:55 - 5:55 p.m. | West Coast Caravan of All Stars Review Featuring the Seastrunk Brothers (Blues and R&B) | Main Stage |
| 4:55 - 5:50 p.m. | Turf Inc. (Dance Crew) | Kickback Zone |
| 5:55 - 6:00 p.m. | Closing Remarks | Main Stage |
Arts, Crafts & Goods Vendors
- Managed by West Coast Makers who can be contacted at: Contact.Westcoastmakers@gmail.com
- West Coast Makers will host an Alcoholic Slushy Bar
- Kid Zone provided by Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (H.A.R.D)
- Black Cowboy Coalition Exhibit
Celebrated each year on June 19, Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day and Freedom Day, is an observance of the effective end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, almost two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Union Army Major Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of both the Civil War and slavery to more than 250,000 enslaved Black people, one of the last group of slaves to be freed in the United States. While Juneteenth became a federally recognized holiday in 2021, it has been celebrated in African American communities for over 150 years.
