Marbles Kids Museum and Moore Square will host a day-long Juneteenth celebration.
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 19. It will feature art, music, performances and more family-friendly fun.
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Admission is free for all outdoor events, including activities in Moore Square and in the Marbles Playway. Admission must be purchased separately to enter the museum.
Schedule of events:
Activities in Moore Square (free admission)
- Noon-5 p.m. - Local Black-owned food trucks and vendors
- 4 p.m. - Live performance by Shenette Swann
- 5-7 p.m. - Kick-back with music by DJ Baptiste, vendors and food
trucks from featured partners of Taste
of BLK.
- Park games like Connect Four, ping pong, cornhole, horseshoes and
other collaborative games.
Activities in the Marbles Playway (free admission)
- Noon - Live Performance from the Jacob
Boss Jazz Band
- 2 p.m. - Community mural with local artist Tyler Jones
- 3:30 p.m. - Raleigh Rockers Street Show
Activities inside Marbles Kids Museum (museum admission required):
- 11 a.m. - Live performance by Tre.
Charles
- 3 p.m. - Wake County Express Library with Black Brilliance programming
and interactive storytimes.
- Line Dancing with Team Marbles
- Throughout the day: Garden Gourmet with special guests Chef Nate
(10 a.m.) and Chef Queen (noon), featured culinary partners through Taste of BLK
and Julius Griffin (5:30 p.m.) of Jewels of Health Farm.
History behind Juneteenth
Juneteenth commemorates the abolition of slavery in the United States. The first Juneteenth was June 19, 1865, when in the aftermath of the Civil War, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to take control and ensure the freedom of all enslaved men, women and children.
Considered the longest-running African American holiday, Juneteenth was finally recognized as a federal holiday on June 17, 2021 – a full 156 years after it was first celebrated. Most federal offices are closed, along with most banks, and mail won't be delivered on Juneteenth.