Juneteenth 2026 Celebration

Friday, June 19 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
FREE | Family-Friendly | Bernard Family Courtyard 

Join us for Olney Theatre Center’s annual Juneteenth Celebration — an afternoon of reflection, education, and joy commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and celebrating the richness of Black culture. 

Performance by Artivism 
11:30 - Cafritz Lobby

ARTIVISM – founded by Howard University Graduates - is a one-stop shop for creative individuals looking to generate products they can sell and make a living; designed to inspire creative entrepreneurs; and boost the economic opportunity of artists. Our weekly Jam Sessions are rooted in creativity, freedom, and community. We make music! Held in the heart of a space that celebrates Black culture and history, these sessions offer musicians, poets, and artists a chance to connect and experiment - expressing without boundaries. Patrons will find joy as keys, strings, and beats find their way to the Cafritz Lobby. 

Presentation by Reynauld Smith from Sandy Spring Slave Museum 
12:00 - Cafritz Lobby

Olney resident and 1970 graduate of Tuskegee University, Reynauld Smith, grew up in East Texas, where the holiday of Juneteenth was first observed, surrounded by relatives born just after the end of the Civil War. In this presentation, he’ll share the stories he inherited about the early observance as well as the historical background of America’s most recently recognized national holiday. 

Learn more about Reynauld here. 

11:00 - 1:00 pm - Bernard Family Courtyard - local vendors and food truck.