Juneteenth celebrations will be happening across Cabarrus County this week, including Friday in Kannapolis.

Across Cabarrus County, residents will come together this week to honor Juneteenth — a celebration of freedom, resilience and Black heritage — through festivals, music, food, art and community fellowship.

Observed annually on June 19, Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when Union troops led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved African Americans that they were free. The announcement came more than two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.

The 13th Amendment, ratified later that year, formally abolished slavery throughout the United States. Often referred to as Black Independence Day, Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day or Liberation Day, Juneteenth is the nation’s longest-running African American holiday.

For many, Juneteenth represents not only the legal end of slavery but also the realization of freedom itself. The delay between the Emancipation Proclamation and its enforcement serves as a reminder that freedom in America has not always been immediate or equally experienced.

Texas became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday in 1980. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making Juneteenth the first new federal holiday established since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.

Juneteenth celebrations are a relatively recent tradition in Cabarrus County. During last week’s Concord City Council meeting, where the city issued a proclamation recognizing Friday, June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth, Grace Lutheran Church Rev. Donald Anthony said the county’s first Juneteenth celebration was held in 2019.

“Since then, Juneteenth celebrations have sprung up all over Cabarrus County,” Anthony said.

Below are several Juneteenth celebrations taking place across Cabarrus County. Admission is free for all events.

Juneteenth celebrations in Cabarrus County

Harrisburg Juneteenth Celebration

When: Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 5-8 p.m.
Where: Harrisburg Park, Field No. 5
What: Hosted by the Cabarrus County Black Student Unions, the event will feature live music, games, food trucks, local vendors and family-friendly activities. Admission is free.

Kannapolis Juneteenth Community Festival

When: Friday, June 19, 2026, from 3-9 p.m.
Where: Veterans Park, 119 N. Main St., Kannapolis
What: The third annual festival will include live entertainment, local vendors, food, community resources and family activities. Organizers describe the event as a celebration of freedom, culture, education and unity. Admission is free.

Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration

When: Friday, June 19, 2026, from 5-7 p.m.
Where: Barnhardt Shelter at Frank Liske Park, 4001 Stough Road, Concord
What: Hosted by the Frederick Douglass Foundation of North Carolina, the event will feature food, music, local vendors, family-friendly activities and remarks from community leaders and elected officials. Admission is free.

Midland Community Juneteenth Celebration

When: Saturday, June 20, 2026, from noon to 5 p.m.
Where: Ebenezer AME Zion Church, 12100 Jim Sossoman Road, Midland
What: The celebration will feature live entertainment, local vendors, food, giveaways and activities for all ages. Organizers say the event is intended to honor history, celebrate freedom and strengthen community connections. Admission is free, though food plates will be available for purchase.

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