THE R&B GROUP MORRIS DAY AND THE TIME PERFORMED ON THURSDAY, JUNE 19. (PHOTO BY CHIEF IKHANA-HAL-MAKINA)
The rapper Jadakiss took the Juneteenth stage in Pittsburgh’s Mellon Park on Sunday, June 22. He’s from the New York City area. He’s performed at a lot of venues over the decades. But when he saw the mass of humanity that was in front of him, he quipped to the crowd that it “looked like Woodstock.”
OK, it wasn’t exactly a half million people there, like the original Woodstock music festival in 1969. But the way the festival was set up—a stage in the middle of a baseball field, thousands of people in front of the stage, followed by thousands up on the Mellon Park hills near the basketball courts and parking lot…
…The pure width of Mellon Park, people from end to end, from the Penn Avenue side to the Ellis School side…
…Simply put, Pittsburgh’s four-day Juneteenth celebration was massive. Those who had grown up playing baseball, or basketball, or tennis at Mellon Park could never have imagined that the park could hold up to 20,000 people per day, with room to spare.
HOMEWOOD RESIDENT SIMONE FREEMAN-IRWIN looks to purchase some earrings from vendor Tonda Jackson, who came all the way from Oakland, Calif., for Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth
celebration. (Photo by Rob Taylor Jr.)
This year’s Juneteenth festival, held from June 19-22, saw at least 75,000 attendees, and that’s putting it mildly, when you factor in the thousands of teenagers that came out as well.
Rapper Jadakiss closed the Juneteenth celebration, but from Thursday to Sunday, Pittsburghers (and out-of-towners) were treated to artists like 702, Hi-Five, Donell Jones, Trina, Sunshine Anderson, Kut Klose, the Blackbyrds, Jon B., and more.
DONELL JONES PERFORMED ON SATURDAY, JUNE 21. (PHOTO BY GAIL MANKER)
The people were treated to a variety of food options. The people were able to purchase items from dozens of vendors. But what’s most important was the celebration of a culture that is African American, for a holiday that took forever and a day to finally be recognized by the city, state and federal government.
“I love the Black love,” Sam Chambers, of McKeesport, told the New Pittsburgh Courier on Friday, June 20. He was at Juneteenth with his wife, Jovan. “You hear about all the negative, but never the positive. This is something positive, all of us getting along. You don’t see trouble, all you see are people interacting, loving each other.”
JADAKISS CLOSED OUT JUNETEENTH ON SUNDAY, JUNE 22. (PHOTO BY GAIL MANKER)
Juneteenth in Pittsburgh—at least the William B. Marshall version—has been held at Point State Park for the last several years. This year, however, there are no large events at Point State Park as the park is being renovated for the NFL Draft, coming to Pittsburgh for the first time, in April 2026.
JUNETEENTH ORGANIZER B. MARSHALL WITH R&B GROUP 702. (PHOTO BY CHIEF IKHANA-HAL-MAKINA)
Organizer B. Marshall had to pivot to Mellon Park, and there was plenty of talk leading up to the event about how Juneteenth would turn out at Mellon Park.
Turns out, it was a record turnout.
“I think we need more of this,” said Leon Grant, who was at Juneteenth with his wife, Denise. They live in Stanton Heights. “A great opportunity to come out and socialize and hear different groups. It’s a beautiful thing for Pittsburgh.”
JON B. WAS LOVED BY THE JUNETEENTH CROWD. (PHOTO BY CHIEF IKHANA-HAL-MAKINA)
The R&B group Dru Hill performed on Friday night, June 20, and Pittsburgher Starr Thomas was able to personally hand Dru Hill’s lead singer, Sisqo, a custom-made portrait of the singer, after the performance. She told the Courier she painted it when she was in junior high school in the Woodland Hills School District.
Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth celebration is one of the largest in the country. Saturday morning, June 21, saw the Grand Jubilee Parade through Downtown Pittsburgh, which had hundreds turn out to enjoy as well.
There were people that brought out lawn chairs and lawn “lounge chairs” to Mellon Park, like Coquita Fuller. She was there with sister, Tanay Johnson, father, Marvin Bibbens, her cousin, Takema Burton, and her children.
AT JUNETEENTH — SAM AND JOVAN CHAMBERS, FROM MCKEESPORT. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)
It was a sight that probably has never been seen in Pittsburgh in modern history—thousands upon thousands of African Americans at an outdoor event. Even the old WAMO Radio Juneteenth celebrations didn’t bring out these kinds of numbers.
Atlanta resident Chantelle Giddens told the Courier she loved “seeing all the vendors, all the people, the food especially. We’re having a good time, with no drama.”
Giddens was there with youngsters Janiyah Giddens and Bailey Wilson.
Then there were people there from nearby Erie, Pa., like Sheran Alexander and son, Miles. “Absolutely wonderful to celebrate an occasion like the actual freedom for the last slaves in the U.S.,” Sheran Alexander told the Courier.
Tonda Jackson was one of the many vendors. She’s from Oakland, Calif., and her company, Flyladytee Boutique, was attractive to Homewood resident Simone Freeman-Irwin. Jackson sold her custom handmade wearable art and accessories. Freeman-Irwin, there with Giovanni Lewis, picked up some earrings.”It’s a beautiful celebration,” Freeman-Irwin said. “I love coming here. You can get this stuff online if you want to, but coming here, homemade (items), it’s an honor to be able to support our businesses.”
THE GRAND JUBILEE PARADE, DOWN FIFTH AVENUE, DOWNTOWN, JUNE 21. (PHOTO BY CHIEF IKHANA-HAL-MAKINA)
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