Rain or shine, the culture keeps shining. That was the energy surrounding the 13th Annual Juneteenth Atlanta Parade and Music Festival, which took over Piedmont Park and the streets of the Old Fourth Ward on Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15. Hosted just days before the national Juneteenth holiday, this year’s celebration was both a reflection of resilience and a true showcase of Black excellence.
Streetz 94.5 and 87.7 The Vibe, in partnership with rolling out Magazine, were live on site, bringing the festivities to listeners all across the city. While the weather caused some minor delays, it did not cancel the vibes. Crowds still showed up, marched, danced, and vibed all weekend long.
Saturday kicked off with the Juneteenth Parade, a colorful and high-energy march that started near the historic King Center and made its way down Boulevard Drive NE to Piedmont Park. The procession featured dancers, drummers, classic cars, stilt walkers, cyclists, and even horseback riders. Entire families lined the sidewalks, cheering and waving flags while soaking in the culture and legacy of Juneteenth.
Juneteenth celebrates the date, June 19, 1865, when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation took effect in 1863, freedom did not arrive for everyone until much later. That delayed liberation is exactly why Juneteenth carries so much weight in the Black community. It is a celebration of freedom, but also a call to remember how long it took to come.
This year marked the 13th anniversary of the Juneteenth Atlanta festival. But it almost did not happen. According to co-founders Bob Johnson and Brad Lewis, budget constraints due to national cutbacks in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) funding nearly forced them to cancel. “A lot of our normal resources were affected,” they said. “But the community support made it clear we had to keep going.”…