Juneteenth
Celebration & Commemoration
Community, Culture & Freedom. June 19, 2026, Portsmouth, Virginia.
Free & open to the public
Date
Friday, June 19, 2026
Juneteenth Celebration
2:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Portsmouth Waterfront
Juneteenth Commemoration
9:00 am – 8:30 pm
Olde Towne Portsmouth
About the Festival
Community,
Culture & Freedom
In partnership with the City of Portsmouth, the Urban League of Hampton Roads invites you to the 5th Annual Juneteenth Freedom Day Festival, a vibrant community celebration honoring Black freedom, culture, and resilience.
This year’s festival brings together the best of Hampton Roads and beyond with a full day of music, food, art, and local businesses. Past festivals have drawn thousands and featured unforgettable performances by artists like Sunshine Anderson, Syleena Johnson, Blackstreet, 702, Hi-Five, and Montel Jordan. Follow us on social media for announcements about this year’s entertainment lineup!
This is more than a festival. It’s a gathering of community, history, and pride. Bring your friends, bring your family, and celebrate Juneteenth with us. We’ll see you there.
Juneteenth Commemoration
Don’t Miss Portsmouth’s Juneteenth Commemoration. Interpretive Presentations, Walking Tours, & Strolling Characters from Portsmouth’s Rich & Colorful Maritime History PLUS The National Debut of Juneteenth the song! Presented by History Alive.
June 19, 2026 — Portsmouth Waterfront
Entertainment
Schedule
2:30pm
Doors Open & Celebration Begins
K'Bana Blaq, DJ & ULHR Team
2:45pm
Opening Performance
Zae Bennett
3:00pm
K.N.E.S
3:30pm
Luckey
3:45pm
Dee from the P
4:15pm
Go-Go Band Performance
Changing Phaces Go-Go Band
5:00pm
Da Silencer
5:30pm
For The Record
5:45pm
Final Local Performance
D. Will
6:15pm
Official Proclamation
City of Portsmouth, Mayor & ULHR
7:15pm
National Artist — Headliner
'Q' Parker
of 112 · 7:15pm– 8pm
Presented by the Urban League of Hampton Roads 
June 19, 2026 - Olde Towne Portsmouth
Juneteenth Commemoration
Friday
June 19
Juneteenth
9am – 10:30am
Underground Railroad Walking Tour
637 North St, Portsmouth
This lively excursion begins with an interior tour of the perfect stop on the UGRR: Emanuel AME. Guided through the street of Historic Olde Towne by historic figures from Portsmouth's past, guests mee…
11am – 12pm
St. John's Episcopal Church
424 Washington Street, Portsmouth
Visitors are invited to explore Olde Towne, Portsmouth’s historic churches during designated open viewing hours. This self-guided experience provides an opportunity to appreciate the city's rich archi…
11am – 5pm
History Alive: Strolling Interpreters
High Street East & Landing
Henry Lewis & Clarissa Davis hold a captivating afternoon performance along the High Street East corridor and Landing.
11am – 5pm
History Alive: Strolling Interpreters
North Street Landing & Hotel
Two Union Soldiers hold a captivating live performance at the North Street Landing.
11am – 8pm
MEET PORTSMOUTH’S HISTORIC CHARACTERS FROM THE AGE OF SAIL
High Street West
Clarissa Davis – freedom seeker who hid under a Portsmouth porch for 75 days after missing her rendezvous with the ship that eventually carried her North to freedom.
Major F.W. Emery – Assistant Adju…
12pm – 3pm
Monumental United Methodist Church
450 Dinwiddie Street, Portsmouth
Visitors are invited to explore Olde Towne, Portsmouth’s historic churches during designated open viewing hours. This self-guided experience provides an opportunity to appreciate the city's rich archi…
12:45pm – 4pm
EMANCIPATION – FOUR DRAMATIC PRESENTATIONS
Green Street Stage, Olde Towne
12:45 p.m. – Lift Every Voice and Sing followed by Welcome by Mayor Shannon E. Glover.
1 p.m. – Crossed Sword/Crossed Hope presented by The Not Just For February Players.
1:30 p.m. – Sounds Like Fre…
2pm – 8pm
History Alive: Strolling Interpreters
High Street West
Josephine Norcom and Pauline Adams hold a live performance along High Street West.
4pm
JUNETEENTH the song NATIONAL DEBUT
Green Street Stage, Olde Towne
Grammy-nominated music producer Mark L. Carman’s powerful anthem to Freedom Day makes its national debut immediately following “Juneteenth: The Bittersweet Challenge” as the finale to a collection of…
7pm – 9:30pm
Underground Railroad Walking Tour
637 North St, Portsmouth
This lively excursion begins with an interior tour of the perfect stop on the UGRR: Emanuel AME. Guided through the street of Historic Olde Towne by historic figures from Portsmouth's past, guests mee…
All Day
Road to Revolution Signage
Various Portsmouth Locations
Explore Road to Revolution, a series of outdoor historical markers highlighting significant locations, events, and individuals that shaped the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the natio…
All Day
Path of History Self-Guided Tour
Various Historic Portsmouth Locations
Many influential leaders have shaped the course of human events from our city. You will unveil more than 250 years of American history during this Walking Tour – from the home that the Union Army’s Pr…
All Day
Mural of Richard Dale
720 County Street, Corner of Effingham Street
A new mural of American naval officer, Richard Dale, will be available for viewing during the entire weekend.
Presented by History Alive
Gallery
From Past
Celebrations
Photos from previous Juneteenth Freedom Day Festivals in Portsmouth, Virginia.
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