‘Can’t take the smile off our face.’ Juneteenth offers joy in wake of SC tragedy

Reeling from the not-guilty verdict for the killing of Cyrus Carmack-Belton and redistricting efforts to eliminate South Carolina’s only Black-majority congressional district — now failed, in part due to high early voting turnout — some Black Columbia residents feel the joy of Juneteenth this year is holding a deeper weight.

“If you go out to our show Friday, if you go out to Finlay Park Saturday, you’re going to see Black people having the time of their life,” Kwasi Brown, founder of artist collective Black Nerd Mafia, said. “We didn’t forget about what’s going on. It’s not like we’re not upset about things going on, but you can’t take our joy away.”

Black Nerd Mafia, which began organizing opportunities to showcase Black artists in the city in 2021, is hosting a Juneteenth R&B Summer Jam at Art Bar downtown on June 19, and has participating artists performing at the 10th annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest in Finlay Park on June 20.

Brown said that in the wake of heightened political oppression and Rick Chow’s acquittal, which sparked protests in the city, celebration can provide an opportunity for healing.

“You can’t take the smile off our face,” Brown said. “That joy, that having fun, that turning on that music, I really do feel like that is an act of rebellion.”

Xavier Blake, executive director of One Columbia for Arts and Culture, which is hosting a documentary screening and a panel discussion at the Columbia Museum of Art in honor of the holiday, sees Juneteenth as an opportunity to highlight how Black communities have shaped the city.

“All days, but this day especially, we can highlight the contributions of African American culture to this city and this country,” Blake said. “Anytime you can highlight history on a day like Juneteenth is important.”

Most Juneteenth events fall on or around June 19 — the date enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, heard about, and celebrated, emancipation from slavery in 1865. Juneteenth, a federal holiday since 2021, falls on a Friday this year, giving many people a three-day weekend to honor Black businesses, art, food and joy.

Festivals, bars, museums and theaters are heating up for Juneteenth celebrations next week across Columbia and its suburbs.

With no shortage of options, here’s a round-up of all the empowering, joyful events that could make the itinerary.

Friday, June 19

Juneteenth on the River

This free event, hosted at the Right Direction Church off Shivers Road from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., will host live music and spoken word, food, a vendor marketplace and family-friendly entertainment to honor “the legacy of African American resilience and liberation,” according to the church’s website.

A fashion showcase titled “Threads of Expression” will highlight local apparel brands that represent the influence and resilience of Black culture. The event can be found at 1705 Shivers Road.

A Son of the Soil Exhibit, Columbia Museum of Art

The Columbia Museum of Art is offering free admission on Juneteenth from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to both its featured exhibit, Rodney McMillian: A Son of the Soil, and its general collection.

Guided tours and talks are scheduled throughout the day, including an 11 a.m. panel discussion on public art by the Friends of African American Art & Culture and One Columbia. The 2 p.m. tour of Black art in the collection is at capacity, but the free guided tour of Rodney McMillian: A Son of the Soil at 10 a.m. is available for registration. For more information please visit the Columbia Museum of Art website.

2026 Hopkins Juneteenth Celebration

This free, family-friendly Juneteenth event will take place on the grounds of the historic Harriet Barber House in Hopkins from 5 to 9 p.m.

The celebration will feature Zeb Harrison and Sounds of Praise as its headliner alongside special guest choirs and the Namu Drum Company. Harrison and his band focus on zydeco-style music, a genre invented by Black Americans in Louisiana that traditionally highlights accordion and guitar.

Attendees will have the chance to visit a variety of food trucks, educational exhibits and small vendors. The Harriet Barber House can be found at 116 Barberville Loop.

R&B Summer Jam

Off-beat Columbia staple Art Bar is collaborating with Black Nerd Mafia, an event curator highlighting Black talent, to host an R&B jam night on Juneteenth at 6 p.m.

Ten local artists will kick off celebrations with a line-up of soulful sets. Music will begin at 7 p.m. and there is a $10 entry fee. For the brave, “Nasty Karaoke” is scheduled for 11:20 p.m. Art Bar can be found at 1211 Park St.

Check out Black Nerd Mafia’s Instagram page for the full lineup.

Brown Suga Juneteenth Jam

Rosewood bar and vegan restaurant The Hoot will be teaming up with the travelling Brown Suga dance party to host a night of move-busting joy.

The event will begin at 9 p.m. and is open to everyone 18 or older. There is an $8 cover charge.

The Brown Suga dance party was founded by local DJ Wandergirl in 2025 as a space for Columbia’s Black queer community to come together. The Hoot can be found at 2910 Rosewood Drive, where free parking is available.

Saturday, June 20

Juneteenth Freedom Fest

The annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest, South Carolina’s largest Juneteenth festival, is celebrating its 10th anniversary from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 20 in Finlay Park. Free tickets are available on the festival website. More than 80 food vendors, small businesses and community organizations will attend.

Hit-making electro-funk group Midnight Star, whose album No Parking on the Dance Floor went double platinum in 1983, is set to headline the live musical performances. This year’s theme is “The Future We Owe Ourselves,” which event organizers say is meant to challenge attendees “not only to honor the past, but to intentionally build what comes next.”

Juneteenth Screening of TCB: The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing

Continue the celebration of Black culture by stopping by Lumetri Theater’s Juneteenth outdoor screening of TCB: The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing, a documentary made by filmmaker Louis Massiah about civil rights activist, writer and filmmaker Toni Cade Bambara.

The event, running from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the One Columbia-Ensor Keenan House, will feature a group of surprise speakers who have been inspired by Bambara. Event organizers say to bring lawn chairs of blankets to sit on while watching the movie.

General admission tickets cost $5.49 without tax and can be purchased here. Tickets are available at a “what you can pay” fee until noon on June 19 for those without means to purchase a full-price ticket.

The One Columbia-Ensor Keenan House is located at 801 Wildwood Ave.

Sunday, June 21

EdVenture Children’s Museum Juneteenth Celebration

The EdVenture Children’s Museum will hold a Juneteenth celebration on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Festivities will include a performance by the Sunrise Jazz Band, special lab themes and a paper basket weaving workshop. Admission to the EdVenture Children’s Museum is $15 for adults and children, and free for children under two.

The EdVenture Children’s Museum is located at 211 Gervais St, next to a large, free parking lot.