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Juneteenth Festival San Francisco 2023: Annual Event to Honor African American Heritage & the Abolition of Slavery
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: May 19, 2023
Head over to Fillmore Street in San Francisco for the Annual Juneteenth Festival, celebrating the abolition of slavery in the US. This year marks the 158th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The festival is on Saturday, June 17th and will include eight blocks of family fun. There will be live music, games, rides, performances, vendors and more!
Also, don't miss out on the food and beverage booths serving up some of SF's finest grub.
All events for this year's Juneteenth Festival in San Francisco are along Fillmore Street in the Fillmore District. The events runs from 11 am to 6 pm and admission is free.
What to Expect from this Year's Juneteenth Festival
This year's Juneteenth Festival in San Francisco is bigger and better than ever.
Here are just a few of the activities you can expect this year.
- Games & Rides (The Arena District): You will find a Ferris while, games, and other fun, kid friendly activities.
- Retail & Food Vendors (Tastemakers District): There will be more than 50 food and retail vendors with local eats, boutique goodies, and more.
- Classic Car Show (Classic District): This year, the classic car show will also take place with a variety of custom and rare cars.
- Hair & Fashion Show (Fashion District): A variety of models and designers will showcase their work on the center stages.
- Live Performance (Entertainment District): There will also be music all afternoon long.
Tips to Get to the Festival
From San Francisco
The best way to get to the Juneteenth Festival from other parts of SF is by Muni. Both the 22 and the 38 stop right near the festival.
From the East Bay
Take BART (SF's subway system) to the Montgomery Street Station. Transfer to the 38 to get o the festival.
From the North Bay
The bus is the easiest option from the North Bay. Take the 101 bus to the corner of Lombard and Fillmore. Here you will transfer to the 22 Muni. This bus will drop you off about a block from the festival.
From the South Bay
Take BART to the 16th and Mission Station. From there, transfer to the 22 Muni bus.
More Juneteenth Events in San Francisco and the Bay Area
Juneteenth Festival (TBD): This celebration is at Jerry Garcia Amphitheater and is lead by the San Francisco Citywide Black Student Union. This is their first celebration. It's a day to celebrate the community especially the youth. The event is to promote local entrepreneurs, creators, and artists. The event is free and runs from 12 pm to 5 pm.
Juneteenth on the Waterfront (Saturday, 6/10): This event is along San Francisco's waterfront near the Ferry Building. It's a day of fun, community, music, and food. All events will take place just south of the Ferry Building and throughout the Farmer's Market. It runs from 9 am to 2 pm.
Juneteenth in the Streets (Saturday, 6/17): Enjoy the 42nd Annual Juneteenth in the Streets event in downtown San Jose. The festival is in the SoFa District. It's from 12 pm to 7 pm with the headliner still to be announced. For more events this week in San Jose, visit their website.
Juneteenth Food and Music Festival (TBD): This event takes place at Liberation Park at 7101 Foothill Boulevard in Oakland. It will highly POC businesses including more than 60 vendors ranging from food to handmade crafts. There will also be a sip and paint area and a fashion show. It runs from 11 am to 10 pm. Tickets range from $0 to $45 per person.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
Other Top Events this Month
North Beach Festival: One of the largest festivals each June in SF is the one in North Beach. During this two-day event, you can listen to live music, mingle with locals, and enjoy chalk art from local artists. Click here to learn more about this festival.
Father's Day Activities: Do you want to make Father's Day even more special this year? If so, check out this year's top events on Sunday, June 18. Options include cruising around the bay, attending a baseball game, or watching documentaries at the SF Doc Fest. Click here for the entire list.
SF Giants Baseball: Catch the Giants in action this June as they take on teams such as the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Colorado Rockies! There's nothing like watching these World Champions play a home game at their waterfront Oracle Park. Click here to learn more.
Other Annual Festivals You Might Enjoy
SF Doc Fest: This annual film festival is always in June. For two weeks, you can watch dozens of new documentaries from up-and-coming artists. It a great place to learn more about our large and ever changing world.
Stern Grove Festival: Each Sunday afternoon from mid-June to mid-August, head over to Stern Grove Park for their annual free music festival. This event features both local artists like the SF Symphony to big name acts such as Smokey Robinson. All shows start at 2pm. Click here to learn more.
Yerba Buena Festival: Another free, fun festival that lasts all summer long is the Yerba Buena Festival in downtown SF. Every week, they feature a number of performances from kid-friendly shows such as magicians to up-and-coming live music performers. All shows are in the Yerba Buena Gardens. Click here for this year's schedule.
Fillmore Jazz Festival: The Fillmore Jazz Festival is also in this area of San Francisco. Usually set over Fourth of July weekend, this event offers free, live jazz music as well as gourmet food, arts & crafts vendors, and other fun activities. Click here to learn more about this year's festival.
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