The Juneteenth Festival of Buffalo is set to take place June 18 and 19 at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park.
This year's theme will be “Juneteenth of Buffalo: We Are Black History…Since 1976” and will feature the parade, entertainment, vendors and activities. This will be the 47th consecutive Juneteenth Festival of Buffalo. The festival originated in 1976 and continued on as a virtual event during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The Festival commemorates June 19, 1865, the day when freedom became reality to all enslaved African Americans; and recognizes the continued quest, of Black people, to remain free, while celebrating the rich history, culture, and achievements of the African American experience," a release says.
In October 2020, former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation officially making Juneteenth a New York state holiday.