Bridging Freedom: A Juneteenth Celebration

Celebrate Juneteenth across both sides of the river at Great River Park and Mortensen Riverfront Plaza—hosted with the City of Hartford, Town of East Hartford, and Riverfront Recapture, with Music is Life curating the Hartford mainstage entertainment, plus live music, DJs, food trucks, a mental health wellness village, and family-friendly fun.

Founders Bridge
Featuring: CoSign, LLC – ASL Interpreters 

• 11:45 am: Welcome, Pouring of Libations & Honoring of the Ancestors by Tia L. Woods (East Hartford’s events Emcee)
• 12 pm: Metropolitan AME Zion Church Worship Choir; Hartford and East Hartford Mayors, and their contingents, will be led from their respective sides by Hartford Proud Drill, Drum and Dance, followed by brief remarks from both mayors.
• 12:15 – Metropolitan AME Zion Church Worship Choir will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing;” Hartford and East Hartford Mayors, and their contingents, will be led back to their respective sides by Hartford Proud Drill, Drum and Dance

Hartford HealthCare Community Stage:

• 11 am: Music Mix
• 12:45 pm: DJ Jimmy Jam
• 1:20 pm: Voices of Youth – Art Exhibit
• 1:50 pm: Giselle “Gigi” Jacobs (Author)
• 2 pm: Charmagne Tripp & Band
• 2:45 pm: DJ Biggmann
• 3:20 pm: Joy Of Life Art Creation
• 4 pm: Tchalla (Poetry)
• 4:25 pm: DJ Soul Selektah
• 5 pm: NIA Arts (African Drum & Dance)
• 5:35 pm: DJ QBoogie
• 6:15 pm: Kelvin Young (Sound Healer)
• 6:30 pm: Kentrell Ragin
• 7:05 pm: IAMDJDRAKE ft. Nekita Waller (Afro Soul Experience)
• 7:30 pm: Jay Aaron (R&B)
• 8:10 pm: Stix Bones Band

Upper Stage (Hartford Side)

• 11:50 am: Transition Music
• 12 pm: The Art of Conversation Panel
• 12:30 pm: Live Art & Musical Performance
• 1 pm: African Drumming Performance
• 1:50 pm: Transition Music
• 2 pm: Francine’s Culture Cuisine
• 2:30 pm: Transition Music
• 2:45 pm: Amistad Youth Panel & Book Giveaway
• 3 pm: Transition Music
• 3:15 pm: Kemet the World Traveler Experience
• 3:30 pm: Conscious Rap & Live Music
• 4:30 pm: Amistad Flash Mob
• 5 pm: Andre Keith Storytelling Experience
• 5:30 pm: Lisa Clayton Singers
• 6 pm: Francine’s Culture Cuisine
• 7 pm: Amistad Presents
• 8 pm: Closing Remarks

East Hartford Stage

• 11 am: DJ RamaDon
• 2:30 pm: The Geanii Center – Step Dance & Drum
• 1:30 pm: Grace C Wright – Caribbean Dance Company
• 2:15 pm: HHA Double Dutch (Healing Health Athletics)
• 2:45 pm: NRGY – Spoken Word Artist
• 3:30 pm: Pat Thompson – Vocalist Extraordinaire -4 Piece Band
• 4:30 pm: YACO International Inc-African Dance & Drums

Parking: Free on-street parking is available on both sides of the river. Paid parking is available in the Connecticut Convention Center Garage—park on the fifth floor and exit via the north side for direct access to the Convention Center, Connecticut Science Center, and Mortensen Riverfront Plaza.

Presented by: