Southside Juneteenth Jubilee at the Bethlehem Center
Saturday, June 13 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM | The Bethlehem Center
Celebrate Juneteenth while supporting African-American businesses at the Bethlehem Center's Southside Juneteenth Jubilee. The free event includes local vendors, performers, music, food trucks, and more!
Juneteenth: Celebration of Freedom
Friday, June 19 | 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM | Bessie Smith Cultural Center - 200 E M. L. King Blvd.
Celebrate freedom, culture, and community at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center’s Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom on Friday, June 19 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This free community event honors the history and significance of Juneteenth with a day full of music, family fun, food, and cultural experiences for all ages.
Enjoy live music by DJ Ant, delicious local food trucks, engaging kids activities, and free admission to the museum throughout the day. Guests will also have the opportunity to view the powerful documentary “Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom,” exploring the history, resilience, and continued impact of Juneteenth in America.
Juneteenth celebrates the resilience, culture, and achievements of African Americans, while also serving as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial equality and justice.
South Chattanooga Juneteenth Celebration
Saturday, June 20 | 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Cocoa Cafe - 318 W. 38th St.
Join us for the South Chattanooga Juneteenth Celebration at Cocoa Cafe on Saturday, June 20 from 11 AM–5 PM as we honor freedom, culture, and community in a powerful way. We’re inviting local vendors, entrepreneurs, and sponsors to be part of this meaningful and high-energy day. Whether you’re looking to showcase your business, connect with the community, or support a growing neighborhood hub, this is a beautiful opportunity to make an impact. Come celebrate with us, invest in community, and help bring this moment to life!
Bessie Smith's Big 9 Music Fest | 2026
Saturday, June 20 | 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Bessie Smith Cultural Center - 200 E M L King Blvd.
Celebrate the rhythm, history, and culture of Chattanooga at Bessie Smith’s Big 9 Music Fest, a free, family-friendly festival held on the city’s historic former Ninth Street. Enjoy live music, local vendors, great food, and community activities as we honor the rich musical legacy of the Big 9
United We Stand: Chattanooga's Juneteenth Celebration by Chattanooga Festivals of Black Arts & Ideas
The Chattanooga Festival of Black Arts & Ideas is celebrating Juneteenth with a three-day festival with multiple events surrounding themes of freedom, family, fatherhood, children, history, identity, and legacy. Juneteenth is more than a holiday. It is a sacred reminder of freedom delayed, freedom fought for, and freedom still being protected. It is a time for Black people to tell our own stories, honor our ancestors, celebrate our culture, strengthen our families, and stand together as one community.
Check out the festival's website for a full rundown of the celebrations.
Some Event Highlights Include:
Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
Friday, June 19 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | New Zion Missionary Baptist Church - 801 E. Martin Luther King Blvd
The Fannie MaeCrumsey Foundation invites you to a special Juneteenth gathering on June 19th. The event features a screening of the Emmy Award-winning film "How to Sue the Klan." It emphasizes the ongoing journey for true freedom, highlighting the importance of nurturing mental resilience and committing to justice and kindness in communities. By doing so, we honor past sacrifices and expand the legacy of freedom for future generations.
Friday, June 19 | 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM | Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga - 5704 Marlin Rd
KIC Nights: Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, resilience, and the power of community.
Hosted at the Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga, this dynamic evening brings together the best of local culture through food, music, and entrepreneurship while honoring the history and legacy of Juneteenth.
- 12+ food trucks
- 20+ small businesses
- 10+ educational vendors
- FREE Kidz Zone
Join LAUNCH, Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, ArtsBuild and Chattanooga Business Elite as we celebrate entrepreneurs, community leaders, artists, and more.
Whether you're coming for the food, the music, or the community, this is a night that celebrates where we’ve been and where we’re going, together.
5th Annual Juneteenth Freedom Run
Saturday, June 20 | Starting at 8:00 AM | Tennessee Riverwalk - The Hubert Fry Center - 4501 Amnicola Highway
United We Run. United We Remember. United We Celebrate.
Join Black Arts & Ideas: Festival Series for our Juneteenth race event as we come together in unity, remembrance, and celebration.
This race is more than miles. It is a public statement that freedom is not only something we remember — it is something we continue to walk, run, protect, and celebrate together.
This year, we run in honor of Mrs. Opal Lee, known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” whose decades-long campaign helped make Juneteenth a federal holiday. Her journey reminds us that freedom requires persistence, courage, and community.
2nd Annual Allstar Foundations BBQ Festival
Saturday, June 20 | 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM | MIller Park - 910 Market St.
Featuring Reece The Truth with a live band and other artists. Enjoy food trucks, vendors, music, and community celebration.
Black Dads Matter Father's Day Brunch and African Ancestry Project
Sunday, June 21 | 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM | Community Haven - 815 N Hickory Street
Sunday, June 21st, Doors open at 11:30 AM with food service at 12 noon.
Black Arts & Ideas: 5th Annual Black Dads Matter Father’s Day Brunch & African Ancestry Project
LOCATION: Community Haven, 815 N. Hickory Street, East Chatta.
The food will be catered by Davis Wayne's, an upscale soul food and meat-and-three restaurant in Ooltewah, that serves scratch-made comfort food for dinner.
This year’s Black Dads Matter Father’s Day Brunch is especially meaningful because it brings together the themes of freedom, family, fatherhood, children, history, identity, and legacy. At a time when Black history is being challenged, erased, politicized, and misunderstood, it is essential that we know who we are, where we come from, and why our stories matter.
This special Father’s Day gathering will honor Black fathers, families, children, legacy, and community as part of United We Stand: Chattanooga’s Juneteenth Celebration.
2:00 PM - Special Guest Speaker: Dr. Gina Paige - Co-Founder of African Ancestry
Presented as part of Black Arts & Ideas: Community Engagement — Scratching Your Roots: Black Genealogy Society, this powerful program will explore why identity matters, why knowing our ancestral roots matters, and why reconnecting Black families to their history is essential for the future of our children.
Dr. Gina Paige’s work helps Black people reconnect with their African roots through DNA testing, family history, and cultural identity. Her message is deeply connected to the purpose of Juneteenth: remembering what was taken, reclaiming what was hidden, and celebrating the strength of who we are.
The program will also feature an Ancestry Reveal of several community members, including Local 3 News’ Latrice Curry. This powerful moment will allow our community to witness the beauty, emotion, and importance of reconnecting with ancestral identity.
The 2:00 PM program is FREE and open to the public, but everyone must register to reserve a seat — even those who purchased and attended the brunch. Registration helps ensure that everyone has a place for this important community gathering.
Juneteenth at Studio Ours
Studio Ours is hosting a 2-day celebration for Juneteenth to celebrate their black makers and community members of Chatt.
On the 19th, join us for the BLAC Market with Sobiconnect and Providence_ndc
On the 20th, we have 3 events with Providence_ndc, @omgitsmalconius, and @hopefully.fitness for some morning yoga, dance workshops, and a free community event with our live radio host, The Soundpainter!
