Denver’s historic Juneteenth Music Festival in Five Points has expanded into a three-day celebration of Black culture, community and history, commemorating Juneteenth.

The June 19 holiday marks the end of slavery in the United States. It’s the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved Black Americans they were free, according to history.com.

Metro Denver area residents will find the weekend packed with opportunities to celebrate. Most Denver agencies will be closed on Friday in observance of the holiday.

Southern Soul Party in The Plaza

Denver’s annual Juneteenth weekend begins at 7 p.m. Friday with the Southern Soul Party in The Plaza, an evening of music, dance and food featuring Denver DJ Suga Bear.

Tickets are $25 plus fees, and are available online at Eventbrite or www.juneteenthmusicfestival.com 

Proceeds from the event support the festival,

Juneteen Parade and Music Festival

One of Denver’s longest-running parades, the Juneteenth Parade, is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Saturday and make its way from Manual High School, 26th Avenue and Williams Street to 26th Avenue on Welton Street.

After the parade, the 15th Annual Juneteenth Music Festival starts. It’s a massive, free, outdoor street festival and draws close to 20,000 attendees, according to event organizers, for live performances, food, and family-friendly activities from noon to 8 p.m.

The festival features hundreds of vendors, from local businesses and artists to food trucks and community resources. 

Grammy-nominated recording artist SiR will headline the main stage, which will also feature regional and national R&B, hip hop and soul performers.

The festival takes place at 2700 Welton St. in the heart of Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood.

VIP tickets are available at www.juneteenthmusicfestival.com and include front-of-stage viewing for live performances and access to elevated bars. 

Juneteenth Hop

The Juneteenth Hop, a crawl through local bars, breweries, and cultural spaces along Welton Street, features live soul, hip-hop, and jazz performances at multiple locations along the corridor.

The event is scheduled from 2 p.m. to midnight on Sunday. 

Free Day at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Celebrate Freedom Day at the Museum with free admission on Friday with expanded hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. In addition to free admission, visitors may enjoy special performances, music and family-friendly activities. The museum is at 2001 Colorado Blvd. For more information, call (303) 370-6000.

Aurora Juneteenth Celebration

The City of Aurora and the NAACP are hosting a Juneteenth Celebration from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Restoration Christian Fellowship, 15660 E. 6^th Ave. The celebration will include live music, a health clinic, free food and a clothing giveaway.

Arapahoe County Juneteenth Jubilee

The Juneteenth Jubilee is planned from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at Arapahoe Community College’s Littleton campus North Entrance, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive. Festivities include information about the holiday’s history, a music festival and Black-owned bakery treats.

Northglenn Freedom Celebration

Northglenn Arts is hosting a freedom celebration for Juneteenth from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday on the Festival Lawn, 1 E. Memorial Parkway. The free outdoor celebration includes live music, food vendors, community activities and cultural celebrations.

Thornton Juneteenth celebration

Thornton is holding a Juneteenth celebration at Harley Brown Amphitheater, 3498 E. 112th Ave., from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. The evening will include live music, art, food vendors and family activities.