Louisville releases plans for Juneteenth Festival, events leading up to celebration

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville is preparing for this year's Juneteenth Festival on the Belvedere.

The festival is happening from June 16-19 in downtown Louisville and will feature more than 70 Black-owned businesses, musical performances, panel discussions, networking events and food vendors.

On Wednesday, local leaders held a news conference at the Black Complex on East Broadway to discuss the impact the festival will have on the community.

"The Louisville Juneteenth Festival brings together individuals from diverse communities to celebrate African American culture, history and foster a sense of unity and belonging," said Tim Findley Jr., CEO of ElderServe. "As we look at local Black owned businesses and organizations, I believe that this festival is primed and positioned to bring a spotlight to those areas where our city needs to desperately grow."

The schedule of events includes:

June 1: Family photoshoot at Angle Selfie Museum, 6-8 p.m.
June 1: Tour and Tasting at Evans Williams, 8:30-11 p.m.
June 7: Wine & Wings at Brew n Sip, 6-9 p.m.
June 10: Louisville City FC game at Lynn Family Stadium, 7:30-10 p.m.
June 11: Block party at 4th Street Civil Right Trail, 2-8 p.m.
June 12: Tech & Social at Black Complex from 6-9 p.m.
June 16: Culture, Business & Bourbon at Rabbit Hole, 5-8 p.m.
June 17: HBCU Night Brunch at Angel's Envy, 6-10:30 p.m.
June 18: 4th Annual Louisville Juneteenth Festival at the Belvedere, 3-10 p.m.
June 18: LJF23 Afterparty, location to be announced, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to order freedom for the enslaved people of the state — two months after the Confederacy had surrendered in the Civil War.

For more information about Juneteenth celebration in Louisville, click here.