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The NAACP Berkshire County Branch invites the public to its annual Juneteenth Celebration on Sunday, June 15, 2025, from 10 AM to 6 PM, honoring the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and celebrating Black freedom, culture, and community.

The day begins at Pittsfield City Hall with the raising of the Juneteenth Flag and proclamations read by Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti and a special guest from the Massachusetts 54th Regiment Reenactment Unit.

Following the ceremony, a Freedom Walk procession will lead participants to Durant Park, located in Pittsfield’s historic Black West Side. There, a Community Worship Service will open the day-long festival.

At Durant Park, there will be an unveiling of the design for a new Massachusetts 54th Regiment mural, by sponsors Dr. Dennis Powell, President of NAACP, Berkshire County Branch,, Dr. Shirley Edgerton, President and Founder of Rites of Passage and Empowerment Program (ROPE), and Tony Jackson, President of West Side Legends. The mural will be installed at Durant Park later in the year. The names of local men who served in the 54th Regiment will be honored in a special reading after the unveiling. Children can participate in hands-on learning with a coloring book about the Massachusetts 54th Regiment and Berkshire soldiers, including Rev. Samuel Harrison, a Black abolitionist and chaplain from New England. 

The day’s other festivities will include:

Live entertainment, featuring:

  • Sample the Cat, a local favorite blending soul, rock, and jazz

  • Sekou McMiller & Friends, featuring interactive Afro-Latin dance

  • Uprising Dance, led by Noel Staples-Freeman, an ensemble celebrating the African Diaspora

  • DJ YoungChamp (David Dias), spinning music throughout the day

  • Guest speaker Joshua Tandoh, a Pittsfield High School junior and youth Juneteenth organizer

  • High school student stipend ceremony

  • A 5-on-5 Basketball Tournament Fundraiser with Jerome Edgerton

  • Vendor booths, food trucks, and community partner tables

Families will enjoy:

  • Story Time! With a children’s book giveaway (while supplies last), including a coloring book station about the 54th Regiment

  • Face painting, games, and crafts

  • A bounce house

Plus, special treats:

  • Free ice cream for the first 200 attendees, sponsored by Berkshire Regional Planning Commission

  • Free meal tickets for all fathers in attendance, courtesy of the NAACP Berkshire County Branch

Juneteenth, also known as Black Independence Day, is a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. First celebrated in 1865 in Galveston, Texas, it honors African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continued reflection and advocacy.

 

Accessibility information:

  • Durant Park is flat-level and wheelchair accessible

  • Loud music will be played throughout the outdoor event

  • For additional accessibility inquiries, please contact the NAACP Berkshire County Branch

 

This year’s celebration is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors Greylock Federal Credit Union and Berkshire Health Systems.

 

This event is free and open to all. For more information, visit naacpberkshires.org/juneteenth or email naacpberkshirecounty@gmail.com.