CARBONDALE -The City of Carbondale is proud to announce the Freedom to Freedom Celebration, a dynamic month-long series of free, educational, and family-friendly events taking place from June 7th to July 4th, 2025 throughout the Carbondale area to honor Juneteenth and the 4th of July.
The African American Museum of Southern Illinois and nearly 30 local community organizations have partnered to host a variety of events that will kick off with the annual Ms. Juneteenth Pageant and close with a spectacular 4th of July Fireworks display on the Southern Illinois University (SIU) campus.
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, marks the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. This year’s Freedom to Freedom Celebration is designed to educate, inspire, and bring people together from across the community this summer.
“By honoring Juneteenth and the Fourth of July together, the Freedom to Freedom Celebration Series invites the Carbondale community to learn, reflect, and celebrate the values of freedom that unite us all,” states Mayor Carolin Harvey.
The Freedom to Freedom Celebration is supported by Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH), the Carbondale Times, and the City of Carbondale. For a more details of events and a list of participating organizations, visit the Freedom to Freedom Facebook Page. For more information, please contact Dianah McGreehan at dmcgreehan@carbondaleil.gov.
Saturday, June 7th / 3 p.m.- Mr. & Miss Juneteenth Pageant (John A. Logan College)
Friday, June 13th / 10 a.m.- 2p.m. – Healing through Health & Harmony Community Fair (Attucks Park) CHESI
Saturday, June 14th / 1-3 p.m. – Flag Day Craft Party (AAMSI- University Mall) BGGC and Rotary
Saturday, June 14th / 3:30-5:30 p.m. – Threads to Freedom Juneteenth Celebration (Eurma Hayes Center) Women For Change
Monday, June 16th* / Noon – Legacy of Liberation: From Emancipation to Education* (Carbondale Civic Center) Carbondale Branch NAACP
Monday, June 16th / 4-6 p.m. – Popsicles in the Park: Celebrate Juneteenth (Attucks Park) Carbondale District #95 PTO
Tuesday, June 17th / 10 a.m.-Noon – Seniors Brunch (Location TBD) Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity Inc.
Tuesday, June 17th / 5-7 p.m. – Carbondale “At the Table” Dinner (Carbondale Civic Center) City of Carbondale
Wednesday, June 18th* / 3-7 p.m. – 160 Years in Peace: Charging Forward Together Juneteenth Celebration John A. Logan College
Thursday, June 19th / 5:30-7:30 p.m. – Honoring Our Fallen Ancestors (Woodlawn Cemetary/ Rock Hill Baptist Church) African American Museum of Southern IL (AAMS)
Friday, June 20th / 5-9 p.m. – Juneteenth Block Party (East Jackson Street) Black Chamber of Commerce
Saturday, June 21th / 11 a.m.-3 p.m. – Artist Expo (Attucks Park) Various Community Organizations
Saturday, June 21st / 4-8:30 p.m. – Juneteenth 2 – El Dia de la Emancipacion (Capoeira Dancing Begins at 4pm) (First Christian Church) Southern Illinois Contra Dance
Sunday, June 22nd / 9-10:30 a.m. – Community Clean-up Day (Attucks Park) Omega Psi Psi Keep Carbondale Beautiful
Sunday, June 22nd / 3-5 p.m. – Let’s Eat and Talk About It (Davis-McCann Center) Blessed Hands Community Outreach
Sunday, June 22rd / 3:15-5:15 p.m. – Contem-PLAY-tion: A Juneteenth Adventure (The Healing Moon) mmmBody
Monday, June 23rd / 1-3 p.m. – Art for Kids (BGCSI- First United Methodist Church) AAMSI Learn Wednesdays
Tuesday, June 24th / 1-3 p.m. – (Also on June 25th & July 2nd, 1-3 p.m.) Kwa-Parrand-Eenth Youth Art Activities (BGCSI- First United Methodist Church) Art for Healing Trauma
Wednesday, June 25th / 6-7:30 p.m. – Dancing to Freedom (Carbondale Public Library) AAMSI and Carbondale Public Library
Thursday, June 26th / 6-8 p.m. – An Evening with Mike Gleen and special guest Dr. Rosemary Sadlier (Guyon Auditorium, Morris Library SIUC) SIU Foundation and Friends of Morris Library
Friday, June 27th / 1-3 p.m. – Black Settlements of Southern IL Reception (AAMSI- University Mall) African American Musuem of Southern IL
Saturday, June 28th / 6-10 p.m. – The Struggle Is Not Over Film Screening & Dinner; additional screening on June 30th 6-8pm at Carbondale United (Carbondale Civic Center) Carbondale United
Sunday, June 29th / 2:30 p.m. (3:30 first pitch) – Carbondale Community Game Changers (Mtn Dew Park) City of Carbondale
Monday, June 30th / 10 a.m.-3 p.m. – Painting the AAMSI Santa House (Turley Park Shelter) Art for Healing Trauma
Tuesday, July 1st / 5:00 p.m. – Who’s Who of SIU/Southern Illinois Past, Present, Future* (Old Main Lounge, SIUC) SIU Black Resource Center
Thursday, July 3rd / Noon-6 p.m.**- Freedom to Freedom Splash Park Day (Free with ticket) (Carbondale Super Splash Park) Carbondale Parks District
Tuesday, June 24th / 4-6 p.m. – Freedom Fest: Celebrate, Educate, Empower (Carbondale Public Library) Carbondale Public Library, PYD & SIH
Friday, July 4th / 9:15 p.m. – Carbondale Annual Fireworks Display (Southern Illinois University) City of Carbondale and SIUC
Ongoing Freedom to Freedom Activities:
Freedom to Freedom Reading Challenge – Carbondale Public Library Juneteenth: Readings, Resources, and Book Display – SIU Morris Library
Underground Railway Signal Quilts Scavenger Hunt – American Museum of Southern Illinois
Freedom to Freedom Splash Park Day Ticket Giveaways- Carbondale Park District
**Tickets redeemed on Thursday, July 3rd at the Carbondale Super Splash Park
