By Bob Mehr
This weekend Memphis will be host to a series of festivals and celebrations marking Juneteenth. From symposiums to star-studded concerts, a wellness market to a basketball tournament, there’s no shortage of activities and events to mark the holiday.
Here are 10 ways to celebrate Juneteenth in Memphis.
Friday, June 17
YRD Memphis Celebrates Juneteenth: Culture, Networking and Homeownership, 5pm The Crescent Club, 6075 Poplar Ave., Suite 909
Addressing the fight and mission of the inequalities of Black homeownership in America, the local chapter of the Young Realtist Division of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers will present a symposium titled “Celebrating Culture, Networking and Homeownership” as part of Juneteenth. This event is free and open to the public. To register or for more information, visit eventbrite.com.
LeMoyne-Owen Juneteenth Concert and Festival. 7pm and starting at 9am Saturday; LeMoyne-Owen College campus, 807 Walker Ave. LeMoyne-Owen’s Alumni Association will mark Juneteenth with a Friday night concert, featuring Devin Crutcher, Carmen Hicks and Da Sketch. Tickets are $20. On Saturday, the school will present a Juneteenth festival, which is free and open to the public. The event will feature food, drinks, merchants and a health care symposium. For tickets or more information, go eventbrite.com.
PRIZM Ensemble Juneteenth Concert 7pm Christ Missionary Baptist Church, 480 S. Parkway. In collaboration with Memphis Black Arts Alliance, local nonprofit PRIZM Ensemble presents its final concert of the 2022 International Chamber Music Festival, featuring opera singer Callie Day, pianist Leo Davis, and the PRIZM Ensemble Chamber Orchestra and Celebration Chorus. The event is free. For more information, visit bit.ly/3O5ogx8.
Saturday, June 18
Orange Mound Juneteenth Celebration. 9am-4pm, Saturday; Orange Mound Park, corner of Carnes Avenue and Grand Street. Memphis’ historic Black neighborhood Orange Mound will host a Juneteenth celebration. The event, held at Orange Mound Park, promises free “family friendly fun,” starting at 9 a.m. For more information, visit bit.ly/3tu4C66.
Feeding the Root Grows Juneteenth Wellness Market. 9am-1:30pm 1551 Bridgewater Road. The second annual Feeding the Root Grows wellness market will have locally grown produce, herbs, plants, food and yoga. This outdoor market is a melting pot of small businesses from across the Mid-South. Organizers encourage patrons to bring the family, a yoga mat and stay all day. The event is free. There is also a ticketed lunch event at 12:30 p.m. with a farm-to-table, plant-based menu planned by Chef Araba from Araba’s Cultured Kitchen. Tickets for the luncheon are $30. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit eventbrite.com.
2022 Juneteenth Jr. NBA Grizzlies 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament. 9am-8pm MAM Grizzlies Center, 2107 Ball Road. This youth 3-on-3 basketball tournament is typically played during the festivities around MLK Day. This year the event will coincide with the celebration of Juneteenth. This tournament is co-hosted by the Jr. NBA and Memphis Grizzlies, and is in partnership with Memphis Athletic Ministries. Entry fee for teams is $25. For more information or to register, visit memgrizzyouth.com/juneteenth3v3.
Saturday, June 18 & Sunday, June 19
The 29th annual Memphis Juneteenth Festival. 10am-10pm Saturday and Sunday; Health Sciences Park, Madison Avenue and Dunlap. The Memphis Juneteenth Festival is a cultural community awareness event, focused on education, food, fun, vendors and great entertainment. The festival will take place Saturday and Sunday in Health Sciences Park. The event is led by Telisa Franklin and will mark 29 years in the Memphis area. For a list of all associated events throughout the week or for more information, visit juneteenthfreedommemphis.com.
Memphis rapper Duke Deuce will be among the performers at TONE’s Juneteenth Gala & Family Reunion Weekend.
TONE’s Juneteenth Gala & Family Reunion Weekend. 5 pm Saturday, Beale Street Landing, 251 Riverside Drive. 3 p.m. Sunday; Orange Mound Tower, 2205 Lamar Ave. Black arts organization TONE presents the second annual Juneteenth Family Reunion weekend. Festivities will begin Saturday with a celebration of the future. TONE will host an Afrofuturism-themed Juneteenth gala at Beale Street Landing. Gala attendees will enjoy a catered meal by the river, followed by an afterparty on the Mississippi Queen III Riverboat. Tickets for the event are sold out, however.
The weekend will close on Sunday with the Juneteenth Family Reunion Festival on the 10 acres of land surrounding Orange Mound Tower. This festival is free and open to the public and will feature live performances, local vendors, food trucks, games and more. Performers scheduled for the concert include Duke Deuce, Luka, HitKidd, Texas Warehouse, Talibah Safiya, Bodywerk, Mante and Myai Drumline. For more information, visit tonememphis.org/events/juneteenth.
Sunday, June 19
The Juneteenth Shop Black Festival. 11am-6pm, Pipkin Building, 940 Early Maxwell Blvd.The third annual edition of the Shop Black Festival will feature goods from more than 100 Black businesses, numerous food trucks and vendors, plus live music, with performances by Gerald Richardson, Carmen Hicks and Courtney Little. Tickets are $10. To purchase or for more information, go eventbrite.com.
2022 Tri-State Black Pride Music Festival. 4:30pm Sunday; Overton Park Shell. The second annual Tri-State Black Pride Memphis Music Festival will feature rap sensation Trina, local singer Bird Williams and more than 20 other artists. Vendors, food trucks and a cash bar will be available on-site. You’ll want to grab your lawn chairs for this “Sunday Funday” event at the historic Overton Park Shell. General admission is $30 for adults, and $10 for those 18 and under. For more information, visit eventbrite.com.
