By Lindsay DePietro 

Juneteenth of Buffalo is fast approaching again and bigger than ever.

Although celebrating their 49th year anniversary this year, the Juneteenth 50th Anniversary Committee will pay tribute to the upcoming half century milestone by launching a 50-year celebration set to run through June 2026. 

The Buffalo Juneteenth 2025 Festival will take place Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15. 

The festival will kick off on Saturday with its annual Juneteenth of Buffalo Parade beginning at 10 a.m. The parade is set to end at 1 p.m.

Juneteenth of Buffalo is one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the U.S.

“The parade is very popular, and even this year we had to cut off the applicants because there were just so many wanting to join in this year. It continues to grow each and every year,” Sandy, a member of the public relations committee of Juneteenth of Buffalo, said. 

The parade will begin on St. Louis Avenue. and Genesee Street, travel down Genesee Street to Best Street, then down Fillmore Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr. Park. 

Juneteenth celebrates the freedom of enslaved people in the U.S. 

According to the Buffalo Juneteenth Website, the holiday “holds the distinction of being the longest-running African American holiday.” 

On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth was officially named a national holiday, making it the 11th annual federal holiday. 

“Its origins trace back to the spring of 1865, at the close of the Civil War, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the emancipation of all enslaved people. The news sparked spontaneous celebrations among the newly freed, and thus, Juneteenth was born,” the website states.

Historically, Buffalo played a key role in the freedom of enslaved people. Many places around Buffalo served as a safe haven and last stop for slaves seeking freedom in Canada.

The festival gives people the chance to celebrate freedom, history, culture and resilience, according to the Buffalo Juneteenth Website.

The first Buffalo Juneteenth Festival took place in 1976, and it has been growing ever since. 

The Buffalo Juneteenth Festival doesn’t just end with the parade. 

There will be an assortment of tents, stages and activities in Martin Luther King Jr. Park where those of all ages can find something to enjoy.

Adolescents can enjoy different youth activities including Tik Tok challenges, dance contests and musical entertainment at the Edutainment Stage near the playground by the wading pool. 

There will also be a Children’s Activities Tent where Juneteenth Carnival Games will be held. This tent for the kids will be located at the park’s tennis court.

Local artists celebrating 50 years of hip hop will perform at the Edutainment Stage including Ali Black, 14 Mafia and Divine of Divine & Devenaire. Local spoken word artists will also be in attendance. 

If you are a book lover, there will be two book related locations to spend your time at. 

The Book Mobile, presented by the public library, will be set up behind the wading pool. There will also be book sharing by the Martin Luther King Jr. bust. 

For the arts and craft lovers, there is much to look forward to. 

The Buffalo Board of Education Art Department has sponsored an African Heritage chalk walk and crafts by the paved area near the bust. 

Not only is there going to be a community art project set up near the Arts and Culture Stage, but the Buffalo Public Schools will present art activities near the Martin Luther King Jr. bust. They will be creating masks, making jewelry and making stamps and buttons. 

The Arts and Culture Stage will be set up at Fillmore Avenue and Parade Street where local artists will be present and a reenactment of historical events will occur.

Getting down to African roots, a Heritage tent will be set up on the corner of Best Street and Fillmore Avenue where African artifacts will be displayed, along with a veterans’ display. Brochures for information on heritage will be available.

On Sunday, free African drum and dance classes will be offered for all ages from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. across from the tennis courts. 

If you are looking for a fun way to get active, there will be a JumpAir Inflatable Theme Park to bounce around on. 

The Buffalo Juneteenth Festival will also have an agricultural pavilion, entertainment stage, MAAFA Memorial and a hospitality tent.

On top of all of these activities, numerous vendors will be set up for festivity goers to shop and browse. Tents will be filled with a variety of African and African American art pieces, clothing and fabrics, jewelry, perfumes and more. 

Multiple food vendors of various African and African American vendors will be present to satisfy your taste buds.

Aside from all of the fun and excitement, community resources will be available at the Buffalo Juneteenth Festival as well.

A Juneteenth Buffalo Health Pavilion will be set up for all Juneteenth participants to utilize. This pavilion offers free health screenings, informational materials and gives out promotional items. 

The health pavilion also serves as a location where individuals and families who are uninsured or underinsured can go to find a health insurance plan. Insurance providers will be present to help guide those in need with finding a plan that best fits their needs. 

Juneteenth of Buffalo is a weekend of celebration and remembrance, a weekend of fun and a weekend of free resources for the Buffalo Community.