Provincetown is stepping up to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday once again! Juneteenth honors what happened on June 19th, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, when some 250,000 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas did not know they had their freedom until Union soldiers came to the city and told them so. Juneteenth is the celebration of the completion of the 1863 proclamation freeing all enslaved peoples in the United States.
This summer, Provincetown will see a powerful and celebratory week of events from Friday, June 13th to Sunday, June 22nd, 2025 with special attention to uplifting the voices of the Black community in art and performance. This year’s theme is “Power, Joy & Resilience.” In a challenging national political climate, this series of events underscores the vital importance of celebrating and centering the Black community on this important historical day. Provincetown resident and nationally-recognized women’s health activist Byllye Avery notes “Juneteenth is particularly important to celebrate this year because we have a deep need to foster thoughtful approaches to creating community – and to having celebrations that lift us all up”
Provincetown’s Juneteenth week kicks off on Friday, June 13th at 5pm with an opening reception for a vibrant exhibition showcasing the work of six Queer BIPOC artists. On display through Sunday, June 22nd, 2025 the show features photography, illustration, painting & drawing. The artists, Izzy Berdan, Victor Jeffreys, Serge Gay Jr., Theodoor Grimes, Derrick Woods-Morrow, and LaNia Sproles explore themes coinciding with this year’s Juneteenth theme, “Power, Joy, & Resilience.” The exhibition is located at The Provincetown Commons at 46 Bradford Street. This event is free of charge and open to the public Monday-Friday 8:30 am until 5pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am till 2pm.
On Thursday, June 19th, the community is invited to a vibrant Juneteenth Celebration and Cookout at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Provincetown, MA. This inclusive event will feature inspiring speakers, dynamic performances by local artists, delicious food, and opportunities for connection and community building. It will be a time to reflect on the historical significance of Juneteenth while celebrating the present and future contributions of individuals in the Black community.
Provincetown School Committee member Dr. Ngina Lythcott will open the celebration with a ceremony drawn from Yoruba culture in which she calls on the orisha Elegba to bridge the space between us and our ancestors. The short ceremony both recognizes the importance of the ancestors upon whose shoulders we stand regardless of our race or ethnicity, and the fact that we invite our ancestors to join us in the important celebration of Juneteenth in Provincetown. The celebration will feature three compelling speakers. First, Dr. Everton Blair will offer remarks. The son of Jamaican immigrants, Dr. Blair is running for congress in Georgia. He is the first person of color and youngest-ever member of Georgia’s Gwinnett County Board of Education, where he served as board chair during the pandemic. Second, Dr. Crystal M. Fleming, will address Black and LGBTQ+ placemaking, leisure and joy in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She is a Professor of Africana Studies and Sociology at Smith College. Third, Lamb Rahming, Co-Founder and CEO of Frolic, will return to the Juneteenth stage to offer remarks as well.
Reflecting on this year’s speakers, David Wilson, Juneteenth Provincetown Planning Committee Chairperson says “now more than ever, it is crucial to create spaces where the voices and experiences of the Black community are not only heard but celebrated. This week of Juneteenth events in Provincetown is an intentional effort to honor the past, uplift the present, and foster a future where all communities coexist and thrive.”
The week culminates in a highly anticipated two-night cabaret on Saturday, June 21st and Sunday, June 22nd featuring New York City, Obie-Award winning Musical Director, Elijah Caldwell (Sir Elton John’s The Devil Wears Prada), featured regularly at famed New York City venues The Cutting Room, 54 Below, and Birdland Jazz Club) with appearances by James Jackson, Jr. (from Broadway’s Pulitzer & TONY Award-winning A Strange Loop)and Broadway’s talent Morgan Siobhan Green (Be More Chill, from the original national tour of the hit musical Hadestown) at The Wilde, a venue located in The Gifford House. This unique cabaret will be thoughtfully framed around the rich and often untold history of artists and performers of color who have graced the stages of Provincetown, weaving together storytelling, song, and historical context. The performers will be honoring the rich history and contributions of Black musical artists in Provincetown and featuring the music of iconic artists Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Grace Jones, and more. General admission tickets are available via Eventbrite.
The Juneteenth Provincetown Planning Committee has worked hard to infuse elements of different African cultures into their week’s worth of events. Dr. Ngina Lythcott notes “It takes place in some subtle ways and in other more visible or obvious ways. We hope you are nourished as much as we are!” Further, she reflects “ I’m proud to be an active participant of the planning committee for the fifth year of this important celebration. I can’t imagine what it would be like for someone who has been enslaved – and their children enslaved as well – and how it must have felt to hear that you have been emancipated, that you have been freed! For me when people are taken away from their ancestor’s motherland, in this case Africa, it is of great importance to remind them of that beloved place.”
This week-long celebration promises to be a powerful and enriching experience for Outer Cape residents and visitors alike, fostering dialogue, understanding, and joy all within the vibrant backdrop of Provincetown.
Calendar of Events:
Power, Joy, & Resilience – Juneteenth Week Opening Party
Date: Friday, June 13, 2025
Time: 5-7pm
Location: The Commons, 46 Bradford Street
Description: An art exhibition curated and produced by artist, Izzy Berdan, showcasing 6 Queer & Bipoc Artists from across the country.
Notes: This event is not with the artists but serves as a general opening to highlight all Juneteenth activities.
Admission: Free, open to the Public
Link: www.juneteenthptown.com/art-show
Blurb: Join us in the official First Event of our Juneteenth 2025 week.
Power, Joy, & Resilience – Art Show @ The Commons
Dates: Friday, June 13 – Sunday, June 22, 2025
Time: Opens Friday, June 13th, 5pm
Location: The Commons, 46 Bradford Street
Description: An art exhibition curated and produced by artist, Izzy Berdan, showcasing 6 Queer & Bipoc Artists from across the country.
Admission: Free, open to the Public
Link: www.juneteenthptown.com/art-show
JUNETEENTH 2025:
A Community Celebration and Cookout – 5th Annual Celebration and Cookout
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Time: 2-5pm
Location: Unitarian Universalist Meeting House Lawn, 236 Commercial Street
Description: A community-focused event featuring an opening ceremony, food (cookout style), performances, and opportunities for celebration and connection.
Admission/Suggested Donation: $20. No one is turned away for lack of funds.
Link: www.juneteenthptown.com
Note: Guests are encouraged to wear the colors red, black, and green, colors of the Pan-African flag.
Piano Nights in the Gifford Love Lounge
Date: Wednesday, June 18th and Thursday, June 19th, 2025
Time: 9-11pm
Location: Love Lounge @ Gifford House, 9 Carver Street
Description: On Wednesday, June 18th this event will feature New York City, Obie-Award winning Musical Director, Elijah Caldwell. With appearances by James Jackson, Jr. & Morgan Siobhan Green. On Thursday June 19th, this event will feature New York City, Obie-Award winning Musical Director, Elijah Caldwell.
Admission: Free, Venue is 21+
Power, Joy, & Resilience – Artist Reception
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 5-8pm
Location: The Commons, 46 Bradford Street
Description: An art exhibition curated and produced by artist, Izzy Berdan, showcasing 6 Queer & Bipoc Artists from across the country.
Admission: Free, open to the Public
Link: www.juneteenthptown.com/art-show
Note: Join the Juneteenth Provincetown Working Group for our artist reception a day after our cookout. We are continuing our Juneteenth week with some drink, music and beautiful art as we celebrate these amazing artists and their perspective fields; photography, illustration, painting & drawing. The artists, Izzy Berdan, Victor Jeffreys, Serge Gay Jr., Theodoor Grimes, Derrick Woods-Morrow, and LaNia Sproles will be present to share how they explore themes coinciding with this year’s Juneteenth focus on Power, Joy, & Resilience.
A Juneteenth Cabaret with James Jackson Jr.
Date: Saturday, June 21st and Sunday June 22nd, 2025
Time: 6:30pm Cocktails / 7:30pm Show
Location: The Wilde @ Gifford House, 9 Carver Street
Description: An evening of cabaret performances written and directed by Obie Award-winning cabaret artist and Provincetown staple, James Jackson, Jr. honoring the rich history and contributions of Black musical artists in Provincetown and featuring the music of iconic artists Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Grace Jones, and more.
Admission: $40. General Admission.
Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-juneteenth-cabaret-with-james-jackson-jr-tickets-1322397589789
Elspeth Slayter Recevik
Mobile: 617-678-4048
Research and consulting website: https://elspethslayter.wordpress.com/
Art website: www.slayterart.com