Every year, the DeKalb County Annual Juneteenth Festival brings our community together to honor the past, celebrate the present, and build the future.
Annual Event — June | Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center, Decatur, GACommissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, District 5
Every June, DeKalb County comes alive with music, dancing, culture, and community pride as we gather to celebrate Juneteenth — one of the most important holidays in American history. Hosted by DeKalb County CEO and the Board of Commissioners, including Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson of District 5, the Annual Juneteenth Festival at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center has grown into a beloved tradition that unites our diverse community in joy and reflection.
What is Juneteenth? On June 19, 1865 — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation — enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally received word that they were free. That day, now observed as a federal holiday, is a moment of profound significance for Black Americans and for the entire nation. It marks not just an end, but a beginning: the long and continuing pursuit of true freedom, equity, and justice for all.
DeKalb County’s Juneteenth Festival is more than a celebration — it’s a commitment. Commissioner Davis Johnson and her colleagues on the Board of Commissioners believe that honoring our history is inseparable from building a better future. The festival brings together live musical performances, local vendors, cultural showcases, and community programming that reflect the richness and diversity that define District 5 and DeKalb County at their best.
“This year’s Juneteenth Festival honors the legacy of diversity, equity, and inclusion while celebrating freedom and community.”— DeKalb County Annual Juneteenth Festival
In 2025, the festival returned to the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center on Saturday, June 14 — drawing community members from across metro Atlanta for an unforgettable evening. The festival featured live music performances on the main stage, a ticketed headline show at the adjacent Rainbow Park Amphitheatre, and a vibrant marketplace of local Black-owned vendors and artisans. The energy was electric from the moment the gates opened.
For Commissioner Davis Johnson, Juneteenth is personal. As a long-time South DeKalb resident and a champion of equity and inclusion throughout her tenure, she has made it a priority to ensure that this celebration reaches every corner of the district — from families with young children to seniors who have carried the memory of this day across generations. The festival is free and open to all, because freedom should never have a price tag.
“The holiday honors the date that enslaved people learned of their freedom — and we gather each year to ensure that legacy is never forgotten.”— DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
What makes DeKalb’s Juneteenth Festival truly special is its spirit. You’ll find grandparents dancing alongside their grandchildren. You’ll hear laughter from across the park, smell the aroma of festival food, and witness performances that move you to your feet and to your heart. It is a living, breathing expression of what our community can be when we come together — joyful, proud, and united.
We invite every resident of District 5 and DeKalb County to mark your calendars each June and make this festival a tradition for your family. Come out, bring a friend, support a local vendor, and add your voice to a celebration that grows bigger and more beautiful every year.
Join us at the next Juneteenth Festival!
The DeKalb County Annual Juneteenth Festival is held each June at Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur, GA 30034. The event is free and open to the public. Stay connected with Commissioner Johnson’s events page for dates, performers, and details as they are announced. For more on Juneteenth in DeKalb County, visit dekalbcountyga.gov.