HISTORY AND GROWTH OF JUNETEENTH ATLANTA
Our first Juneteenth Atlanta event was held IN 2012 and has grown into one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the country. We welcome you as an attendee and look to service you during our eleventh annual Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival 2023!
Here’s a look at our history and growth throughout the years:
2012 - Georgia International Convention Center
2013 - Perkinson Park
2014 - The Shrine of The Black Madonna parking lot (first parade)
2015 - Mozley Park
2016 - Morris Brown College
2017 - Morris Brown College
2018 - Mozley Park
2019 - The Home Depot Backyard
2020, (During the Covid 19 shut down) we led a parade and rally along with the Young Peoples Movement, Commissioner Natalie Hall, and Councilman Antonio Brown with approximately 10,000 participants through the streets of Atlanta, GA. Although the 2020 rally was different from our annual festival and parade offerings, it proved to be a major success for unity and recognition.
2021 After missing months of planning and fundraising opportunities due to state COVID restrictions and shutdown, once the state shut down of events was lifted towards the end of April, we had less than 50 days to produce and staff our Juneteenth Atlanta festival and parade for the event dates of June 18-20, 2021, at Centennial Olympic Park. During that time, we registered over two hundred-fifty vendors and approximately 2,200 parade participants. Thanks to the generous support from our community partners of performing artists, media sponsors ( V-103, Streetz 94.5, Smooth Jazz 101/100), our Atlanta Mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, we overcame all the challenges presented such as: just returning from a state shutdown, the logistics of a new 22 acre venue, and a horrid 85% weather forecast of rain and thunder storms for that entire weekend. Because of our organization’s persistence and determination to commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth despite any circumstances and because of the support and unity from our vendors and attendees, Juneteenth Atlanta is now recognized as one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the world.
June 17, 2021 - The day Juneteenth became a national holiday!
Juneteenth Atlanta is a 10-year member of the National Juneteenth Observation Foundation founded by the late Rev. Ronald V. Meyers Senior M.D. The NJOF was the driving force behind Juneteenth becoming a national holiday. Our eldest member, Opal Lee, sat in the front row during the signing of Senate Bill S. 475 by President Biden, on June 17, 2021, making Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday. 2022 brings in our 10 year Juneteenth Atlanta anniversary and the first year anniversary of Juneteenth becoming a national holiday. We are going all out for Juneteenth Atlanta Celebration 2022 and invite you to join us now!
2022 The come back festival! Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival was again held at Centennial Olympic Park on June 17-19, 2022. The festival presented a colorful celebration where myrrh, frankincense and sage filled the air while attendees enjoyed massive networking opportunities and three-days of festivities that included four stages, A-list headliners, a healers health circle, a cultural vendor’s market, an artist’s market, a cultural arts amphitheater and village, a financial literacy resource center, an aboriginal Pow Wow, a Gemini birthday boogie, historic educational presentations, family reunions, S.T.E.A.M for youth, a gifted children’s activity village, two-acres of bouncy houses for children and adults, international food cuisines, food trucks, fitness activities, soccer, double dutch, yoga and martial arts, African-drum & dance, board games, kite flying, frisbees, knocker balls, a chess section and horse carriage rides.
On Saturday June 18th our Juneteenth Black History Parade of marching bands, dance troops, youth groups, majorettes, civic organizations, local businesses, exotic car/motorcycle clubs, dancing horses, historic reenactments, and unique floats honoring historic contributions kicked off. The parade was presented by CISCO, televised by CBS 46, and coordinated by the Fulton County Sheriff's department. The streets came alive with band battles, dance presentations, and numerous other artistic expressions of culture and pride. The parade ended by merging into the Juneteenth festivities already in process at Centennial Olympic Park! On father’s day Sunday, we continued with presentations honoring fathers throughout history, fathers remembered and shout-outs to current/future fathers in attendance.
2023 The year of unity festival! Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival was held at Centennial Olympic Park on June 16-18, 2023 and attracted over 100,000 attendees over the three day weekend. Other than that 2023 was a mirror reflection of 2022 with a few improvements. More bouncy houses, More sound and lighting at every stage. Battle slam joined in on the fun a brought out a full wrestling ring, professional wrestlers and referees. We also added a karaoke stage area that held its own. On Saturday June 17th the Mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens came out for the pre-parade press conference. Other special guest included Lou Gossett Jr, Rough Ryders out of New York and Atlanta and a special invitation video release from Chris Tucker. On father’s day Sunday, we continued with presentations honoring fathers throughout history, fathers remembered and shout-outs to current/future fathers in attendance.
We are now preparing for Juneteenth Atlanta 2024!
If you feel that Juneteenth Atlanta benefits our communities please donate to our nonprofit 501c3 organization.
Our first Juneteenth Atlanta event was held IN 2012 and has grown into one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the country. We welcome you as an attendee and look to service you during our eleventh annual Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival 2023!
Here’s a look at our history and growth throughout the years:
2012 - Georgia International Convention Center
2013 - Perkinson Park
2014 - The Shrine of The Black Madonna parking lot (first parade)
2015 - Mozley Park
2016 - Morris Brown College
2017 - Morris Brown College
2018 - Mozley Park
2019 - The Home Depot Backyard
2020, (During the Covid 19 shut down) we led a parade and rally along with the Young Peoples Movement, Commissioner Natalie Hall, and Councilman Antonio Brown with approximately 10,000 participants through the streets of Atlanta, GA. Although the 2020 rally was different from our annual festival and parade offerings, it proved to be a major success for unity and recognition.
2021 After missing months of planning and fundraising opportunities due to state COVID restrictions and shutdown, once the state shut down of events was lifted towards the end of April, we had less than 50 days to produce and staff our Juneteenth Atlanta festival and parade for the event dates of June 18-20, 2021, at Centennial Olympic Park. During that time, we registered over two hundred-fifty vendors and approximately 2,200 parade participants. Thanks to the generous support from our community partners of performing artists, media sponsors ( V-103, Streetz 94.5, Smooth Jazz 101/100), our Atlanta Mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, we overcame all the challenges presented such as: just returning from a state shutdown, the logistics of a new 22 acre venue, and a horrid 85% weather forecast of rain and thunder storms for that entire weekend. Because of our organization’s persistence and determination to commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth despite any circumstances and because of the support and unity from our vendors and attendees, Juneteenth Atlanta is now recognized as one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the world.
June 17, 2021 - The day Juneteenth became a national holiday!
Juneteenth Atlanta is a 10-year member of the National Juneteenth Observation Foundation founded by the late Rev. Ronald V. Meyers Senior M.D. The NJOF was the driving force behind Juneteenth becoming a national holiday. Our eldest member, Opal Lee, sat in the front row during the signing of Senate Bill S. 475 by President Biden, on June 17, 2021, making Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday. 2022 brings in our 10 year Juneteenth Atlanta anniversary and the first year anniversary of Juneteenth becoming a national holiday. We are going all out for Juneteenth Atlanta Celebration 2022 and invite you to join us now!
2022 The come back festival! Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival was again held at Centennial Olympic Park on June 17-19, 2022. The festival presented a colorful celebration where myrrh, frankincense and sage filled the air while attendees enjoyed massive networking opportunities and three-days of festivities that included four stages, A-list headliners, a healers health circle, a cultural vendor’s market, an artist’s market, a cultural arts amphitheater and village, a financial literacy resource center, an aboriginal Pow Wow, a Gemini birthday boogie, historic educational presentations, family reunions, S.T.E.A.M for youth, a gifted children’s activity village, two-acres of bouncy houses for children and adults, international food cuisines, food trucks, fitness activities, soccer, double dutch, yoga and martial arts, African-drum & dance, board games, kite flying, frisbees, knocker balls, a chess section and horse carriage rides.
On Saturday June 18th our Juneteenth Black History Parade of marching bands, dance troops, youth groups, majorettes, civic organizations, local businesses, exotic car/motorcycle clubs, dancing horses, historic reenactments, and unique floats honoring historic contributions kicked off. The parade was presented by CISCO, televised by CBS 46, and coordinated by the Fulton County Sheriff's department. The streets came alive with band battles, dance presentations, and numerous other artistic expressions of culture and pride. The parade ended by merging into the Juneteenth festivities already in process at Centennial Olympic Park! On father’s day Sunday, we continued with presentations honoring fathers throughout history, fathers remembered and shout-outs to current/future fathers in attendance.
2023 The year of unity festival! Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival was held at Centennial Olympic Park on June 16-18, 2023 and attracted over 100,000 attendees over the three day weekend. Other than that 2023 was a mirror reflection of 2022 with a few improvements. More bouncy houses, More sound and lighting at every stage. Battle slam joined in on the fun a brought out a full wrestling ring, professional wrestlers and referees. We also added a karaoke stage area that held its own. On Saturday June 17th the Mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens came out for the pre-parade press conference. Other special guest included Lou Gossett Jr, Rough Ryders out of New York and Atlanta and a special invitation video release from Chris Tucker. On father’s day Sunday, we continued with presentations honoring fathers throughout history, fathers remembered and shout-outs to current/future fathers in attendance.
We are now preparing for Juneteenth Atlanta 2024!
If you feel that Juneteenth Atlanta benefits our communities please donate to our nonprofit 501c3 organization.