Celebrate Freedom and Culture at the 2025 Juneteenth Festival in Winston-Salem

Flash Mobs to Kick Off the Celebration Across Forsyth County on June 19

Winston-Salem, NC (June 11, 2025) – Triad Cultural Arts, Inc. (TCA) invites the community to honor and celebrate Black freedom and heritage during the 2025 Juneteenth Festival, with special events beginning Wednesday, June 19, and culminating in a vibrant, family-friendly festival on Saturday, June 21. The festival is presented by Food Lion.

In tribute to the 160th anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States, spontaneous Juneteenth Flash Mobs will take place throughout Kernersville and Winston-Salem on Wednesday, June 19. These surprise performances are designed to educate, inspire, and uplift through music, dance, and voice. Three local dance companies including Greater Vision Dance Company, Triad African Dance Troupe and the Monica and Jerome International Dance Academy will wow audiences with their nod to Black & African culture. “The impromptu nature of these performances reflects how Black culture can erupt and emerge beautifully even in the most casual spaces. We hope that as the Forsyth County community enjoys Juneteenth that one of these flash mobs will find them,” says Abrea Armstrong, TCA executive director.

26th Annual Juneteenth Festival in Innovation Quarter Launches with a Street Procession on June 21

The penultimate celebration, the Juneteenth Festival will be on Saturday, June 21, 12:30 PM running to 8:00 PM at Biotech Place & Bailey Park, 445 Patterson Ave, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.

The festival will start with a pre-event street procession through East Winston to build up energy and anticipation for the festival—leading the community directly to Bailey Park. Participants will sing, dance and wave their umbrellas as they march on the sidewalks through the neighborhood. The procession route begins at 11:30am at the East Winston Shopping Center at 550 MLK Drive in Winston-Salem before moving up along MLK to 4th Street where the procession will turn right onto 4th Street and end in Bailey Park for the festival’s opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony in Bailey Park will feature the pouring of libations, gospel choirs and, in honor of the 160th anniversary, the names of enslaved Africans of Old Salem will be read aloud. Celebrity MC B-Daht will be hosting the outdoor stage. 12,000 attendees are expected.

Another festival highlight includes a soul food culinary contest—sponsored by SmurfitWestRock. Food being a staple of Black culture, the contest will provide an opportunity for local Black caterers and restaurants to showcase how they remember and upkeep Black culture through culinary-ways. Michael Hastings, Food Editor at the Winston-Salem Journal, will be one of the judges.

Registration for the contest is still open and for Forsyth County Health Department-certified caterers & restaurants.

Attendees of the Juneteenth Festival can enjoy:

●      Live Performances from: September - Earth, Wind & Fire Tribute, Gavin Maestro and Queens of Jazz

●      Street Studio Portraits

●      History Village

●      Exhibits: History, Health, Community

●      McIntosh County Shouters (Spirituals)

●      Spoken Word featuring W.O.R.D. Society

●      Food Trucks

●      Shop the Block

●      Children's Area

Free parking is above in the parking deck at Fourth and Church Street with golf cart shuttles making rounds from various parking areas. Please look for wayfinding signage.

For the full festival schedule, procession & parking maps, culinary contest registration and more, visit the website: www.triadculturalarts.org or call 336-757-8556.

###

About Triad Cultural Arts, Inc.  Triad Cultural Arts, Inc. (TCA), established in 2007 as a nonprofit organization rooted in the community, is a dynamic, multi-disciplinary cultural arts organization. With a leadership role in raising awareness of Black American history and culture, TCA is dedicated to the preservation, interpretation, and presentation of the rich heritage of Black/African Americans for the broader public through educational and public programs.

Our Approach: We achieve our mission by creating culturally immersive experiences that encompass festivals, preservation efforts, heritage tours, and exhibits. 

Our Purpose: Our driving force is to contribute to the development of a culturally proficient community that places a high value on diversity—catalyzing social change and innovation.