EVERETT — Organizations around Snohomish County are gearing up for Juneteenth celebrations over the next week.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free. The announcement came more than two years after former President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
The holiday, also known as Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, has been celebrated ever since. In 2021, former President Joe Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Snohomish County Juneteenth Community Celebration, Lynnwood
Snohomish County and the county’s NAACP branch are co-sponsoring a Juneteenth celebration 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Martha Lake County Park in Lynnwood, 16300 E. Shore Drive. The free, family-friendly event will feature live music, games, a free barbecue lunch, line dancing, guest speakers and more. Those interested in a sweet potato pie contest can sign up ahead of time on the NAACP Snohomish County website. It’s a day of “freedom, food, fellowship and Old School fun,” NAACP Snohomish County said in a Facebook post.
Monroe’s Juneteenth Community Celebration, Monroe
Monroe’s Juneteenth Celebration, hosted by the Monroe Equity Community, will take place noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Galaxy Theatres Monroe, 1 Galaxy Way. From 1–3 p.m., there will be a free screening of “Miss Juneteenth” (2020). The celebration will feature music, line dancing, food trucks, vendors, crafts and games. The League of Women Voters of Snohomish County will host a voter registration booth. The Monroe Library will have a children’s storytime area with books that celebrate diversity and belonging. Those interested in attending can RSVP for free on the Monroe Equity Community website.
Juneteenth: More than a Day 2025, Mountlake Terrace
The city of Mountlake Terrace and Sno-Isle Libraries are partnering to host a community event 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Mountlake Terrace Library and the Mountlake Terrace Civic Campus, 23300 58th Ave. West. The event will display a class mural created by Mountlake Terrace High School students. Mountlake Terrace City Council member Steve Woodard will give a keynote speech. The event will also feature a community photo booth, games for kids, additional community speakers, and an array of free food and local vendor booths.
Project Girl Juneteenth Freedom Festival, Lynnwood
On June 19, Project Girl Mentoring, Edmonds School District and the city of Lynnwood are hosting a festival 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cedar Valley Community School Gym & Playfields, 19200 56th Ave. West. At 10 a.m., the event will kick off with speeches from community leaders. Attendees can enjoy family-friendly activities, food from local vendors and live performances honoring African American culture and history. There will also be a health fair on site with health screenings, wellness information and other resources.
Juneteenth at the Beach, Edmonds
Lift Every Voice Legacy, in partnership with the Edmonds Waterfront Center and the Edmonds Food Bank, are hosting an event 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 19 at Edmonds Waterfront Center, 220 Railroad Ave. A number of local leaders will speak at the celebration, including U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Everett, and State Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds. The event will also feature book reading circles, arts and crafts and a free screening of “Hidden Figures” (2016). There will also be a complimentary community meal and a food drive for the Edmonds Food Bank.
Free admission at Cascadia Art Museum, Edmonds
Cascadia Art Museum — located at 190 Sunset Ave. in Edmonds — is offering free admission to all visitors June 19 to two exhibitions honoring Black artists of the Northwest United States. One exhibit will feature work by Grafton Tyler Brown, the first known professional Black artist in the Pacific Northwest. The other will be the first-ever exhibit dedicated to Milt Simons, the first Black art instructor in Washington state. The museum will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. as part of Art Walk Edmonds.
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
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