ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville’s annual celebration of Juneteenth is officially on the calendar.

“The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, in partnership with the city of Asheville, has planned the 2025 Juneteenth Celebration to create a diverse schedule of events that fosters broad participation, promotes community awareness and appreciation and celebrates the liberation of enslaved people,” wrote Communications Specialist Jessica Hughes in a city press release.

Asheville designated Juneteenth as a city holiday in 2021, though the holiday has been celebrated since 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the end of the Civil War.

All city Juneteenth events are free and open to the public. Juneteenth Discussions Sessions will feature either a film or dinner, followed by local leaders speaking on topics like genealogy and the removal of Confederate monuments.

Event Schedule

  • “A Time to Yell”: Film and Discussion, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Monday, June 16 at the Stephen Lee Community Center
  • “Life of Julius Rosendwald”: Film and Discussion, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 17 at the Stephens Lee Community Center
  • “Sasha Mitchell – Genealogical Research”: Dinner and Discussion, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, June 18 at the Stephens Lee Community Center
  • Juneteenth Celebration of Song with Mary D. Williams, noon to 2 p.m., Thursday, June 19 at the Shiloh Friendship Center, 142 Shiloh Road
  • Juneteenth Gala & Fashion Show, 6 to 9 p.m., Thursday, June 19 at the A-B Tech Conference Center, 16 Fernihurst Drive. Reserve free tickets here.
  • Downtown After 5 Juneteenth Celebration, 5 to 9 p.m., Friday, June 20, at Pack Square Park

For more information, visit www.mlkasheville.org/events/juneteenth-2025-events.