The Syracuse Juneteenth Committee Inc. will hold the 32nd annual Juneteenth Cultural Festival and parade in downtown Syracuse June 17 and 18. The Juneteenth Festival will take place on the 200 block of East Washington Street in front of City Hall. The festival kicks off noon Friday, June 17, during a City Hall flag raising ceremony.

Join “salt/city/blues” playwright Kyle Bass and “The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe” co-creator and co-director ashley sparks for a panel discussion moderated by Joann Yarrow, director of community engagement at Syracuse Stage. The panel will discuss the intersection of arts and activism and how thinking creatively can help address and find solutions to community problems.

In celebration of the exhibition “Sharif Bey: Facets” and Juneteenth, the Everson Museum will host a free community day with educational activities and events that celebrate African and African-American culture and heritage. A screening of “Citizen James, or the Young Man Without a Country,” is part of a series of free events from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., which also includes a gallery walk with artist Sharif Bey, stories of liberation from the Onondaga County Library, Pan-African flags crafts with educator Vanessa Johnson, a presentation by James Gordon Williams and more. “Citizen James, or the Young Man without a Country” will screen at 11 a.m. in the Everson Auditorium. Immediately following the screening is a talk with Kyle Bass and Joann Yarrow.

The Syracuse Juneteenth Festival acknowledges the role that many in the Central New York area had in achieving and maintaining freedom, equality and opportunity for African Americans—from the days of Abolitionism to present time. This is an inclusive event, transcending racial and ethnic boundaries. The event will include a fashion show, African dance and live music performances, children's games, crafts and food.

“The Most Beautiful Home . . . Maybe” is an original work of devised theater whose goal is to use the imaginative resources of theater to explore solutions to chronic housing problems plaguing the country. Through workshops that bring together stakeholders involved in housing policy—politicians, developers, advocates, activists, the homeless—Valdez and sparks seek creative solutions to housing insecurity by challenging participants to consider the question “What if everyone in this country had a home?” The input collected at workshops forms the basis for the performance piece. Syracuse Stage has hosted four workshops in the lead up to the performance and local participants have included Deka Dancil, diversity, equity and inclusion specialist; St. Joseph’s Health; Lanessa Chaplin, Esq., project counsel with the New York Civil Liberties Union, and author and playwright Dr. Juhanna Rogers, among others. Tickets are required for this performance and may be obtained at www.syracusestage.org.

A new event organized by South Side volunteers with the Save the 16th Coalition will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at the intersection of South Salina Street and MLK West. The event will feature a performance by Trumptight315 and gospel singers, food vendors and gifts to celebrate the dads in the community. Residents will also have the chance to meet candidates running for political offices. Additionally, The Stand will also a photo booth to take free portraits of local fathers with their kids.

The popular and long-running, free admission music festival which has been on hiatus the past five years returns June 23-25 to Syracuse's Clinton Square, as well as a variety of indoor city nightspots. The three nights will feature outdoor performances on the festival's Clinton Square Main Stage and 20 performances by 20 of Syracuse jazz groups in local venues. Admission to all Jazz Fest events is free. For a complete lineup and list of show times and participating venues, visit www.syracusejazzfest.com.

This free live music series and public health outreach returns at Syracuse City Parks, offered from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 18. The June 23 performance features 3D Rhythm of Life at Skiddy Park. Jazz in the City features local and national music artists with food and craft vendors. It’s also a way to provide COVID-19 shots and boosters for city residents who aren’t up to date with their vaccinations. Concerts are free and open to all.

The popular and long-running, free admission music festival which has been on hiatus the past five years returns June 23-25 to Syracuse's Clinton Square, as well as a variety of indoor city nightspots. The three nights will feature outdoor performances on the festival's Clinton Square Main Stage and 20 performances by 20 of Syracuse jazz groups in local venues. Admission to all Jazz Fest events is free. For a complete lineup and list of show times and participating venues, visit www.syracusejazzfest.com.