Juneteenth is Here – Annapolis Celebrates with Concert – June 19th and Parade Saturday, June 20th

OUR COMMUNITY CELEBRATES JUNETEENTH

Carrs Elktonia
Juneteenth Concert
Tonight, Friday, June 19th

and

Annapolis Juneteenth Celebration
PARADE AND FESTIVAL
Marks its Sixth Year, Saturday, June 20th

From Press Release:

Mayor Jared Littmann
160 Duke of Gloucester Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

ABOUT JUNETEENTH: Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. It symbolizes the end of slavery in the United States and honors the resilience and contributions of Black Americans. Juneteenth became a national holiday in 2021 to formally recognize this pivotal moment in American history. Juneteenth became a state holiday in Maryland in 2014, while the City of Annapolis formally designated Juneteenth a City holiday in 2021.

ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 21, 2026) – On Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20, 2026, the City of Annapolis will host several events to celebrate Juneteenth, America’s second Independence Day. The Juneteenth concert at Carrs Elktonia Beach will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 19. The sixth annual Juneteenth Parade will take place in downtown Annapolis on Saturday, June 20, followed by the Juneteenth Festival at Bates Field (behind Maryland Hall).

CITY OFFICES CLOSED: City of Annapolis offices will be closed on Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. The Pip Moyer Recreation Center and Stanton Center will both be closed. Refuse and recycling schedules will not be affected. Annapolis Transit will operate on a regular schedule.

CARRS ELKTONIA PARK JUNETEENTH CONCERT: From 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 19, the Annapolis Department of Recreation and Parks will present a Juneteenth celebration and concert at two locations: Carr’s/Elktonia Heritage Park on Bembe Beach Road and the Annapolis Maritime Museum Park and Pavilion at Ellen O. Moyer Park on Edgewood Road. The two locations are directly adjacent to one another. All are welcome! This event is free and open to the public, and will include food trucks, and bands performing on two stages.

    • PARKING: A limited number of parking spaces are available at the Ellen O. Moyer Park. These will be primarily reserved for disabled access. Parking is also available at the Bay Forest Shopping Center, Hillsmere Elementary School, and PAL Park. A free shuttle will run between the parking and Ellen O. Moyer Park and Carr’s/Elktonia.

    • Some of the site terrain is uneven – please wear comfortable walking shoes.

    • Bring a lawn or camp chair (or blanket) for seating (no umbrellas).

    • There is no rain date for this event, but in the event of rain, the musical acts will move to the pavilion at the Annapolis Maritime Museum/Ellen O. Moyer Park.

    • A cooling bus will be on site.

JUNETEENTH PARADE: On Saturday, June 20, the Juneteenth Parade and Festival, organized by the Celebrate Annapolis Juneteenth Corporation, will be held downtown. For full details on the parade and supporting events, please visit www.theAnnapolisJuneteenth.org.

    • PARADE ROUTE: The Juneteenth Parade will step off at 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, at the corner of Calvert Street at Bladen Street (parade lineup will be along St. John’s Street); continue to Northwest Street to Church Circle, then along West Street to Amos Garrett Blvd. There will be parking restrictions along the parade route; look for posted signage. Annapolis Police will handle traffic control along the parade route; please pay attention to APD direction and rolling road closures.

    • PARADE PARKING: Paid parking is available at City garages, including $5 all day parking at Park Place (1 Park Place) from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on June 20. Additional garages include Knighton (1A Colonial Place) Gott’s (25 Calvert Street), all served by the free Magenta Shuttle. The Calvert Street garage (19 St. John’s Street) is free on weekends and is closest to the parade start.

NO PARKING ZONES (Saturday, June 20):

    • PARADE STAGING (6 to 11 a.m.): College Ave. between Prince George St. & St. John’s St.; St. John’s St. from College Ave. to Bloomsbury Square; Calvert St. between Bladen St. and St. John’s St.; Bloomsbury Square (side adjacent to the Calvert Street garage).

    • PARADE ROUTE (6 a.m. to 12 p.m.): Calvert St. from Bladen St. to West St.; West St. from Calvert St. to Amos Garrett Blvd.; Amos Garrett Blvd. from West St. to Constitution Ave.

JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL: Following the parade, the Juneteenth festival will take place from 1 to 9 p.m. at the Bates Athletic Complex, featuring live music and entertainment, vendors, and food. Admission to the festival is free. This is an alcohol-free event.

“The Celebrate Annapolis Juneteenth Festival is a vital cultural touchstone for our City,” said Mayor Jared Littmann. “We had some hiccups with the planning earlier in the week, but our team from multiple City departments came together to resolve those challenges. I also want to acknowledge Bishop Coates, who was patient in working with us to ensure our shared interest in the success of the festival.  I’m happy the festival will go forward, and I look forward to seeing everyone on the 20th!”

“I am grateful that a resolution has been reached and that the festival will continue as a longstanding tradition that honors the culture, history, and roots of our community here in the City of Annapolis,” said Bishop Craig Coates, CEO of the Celebrate Annapolis Juneteenth Corporation.

OEM ALERTS: For more information and to receive direct alerts from the Annapolis Office of Emergency Management (OEM) during the event, attendees can text “JUNE2026” to 38276. Attendees are also encouraged to download the PrepareMe Annapolis app to receive real-time OEM and event information.

From: Press Release:

Mayor Jared Littmann
160 Duke of Gloucester Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

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