LGBT Center marks Juneteenth with afternoon block party

The LGBT Community Center led a Juneteenth Block Party event on June 15 complete with a market, lively music, art, and more at the center’s headquarters at 208 W 13th St. in Manhattan.

The festive event, which also represented a continuation of The Center’s Pride Month slate, came four days before Juneteenth, June 19, which was named a federal holiday in 2021 to highlight the day in 1865 when slavery came to an end in former Confederate states (though the 13th Amendment would not be ratified until December of that year). In 2020, Juneteenth became a state holiday in New York, as well.

The afternoon event featured a two-hour brunch with a panel discussion at The Center before turning to the 2 p.m. block party at West 13th St. between 7th and 8th Ave.

The block party had music from For the Gworls, a performance by SIREN, and a DJ set by singer/songwriter Durand Bernarr.

The Empire State Building was scheduled to light up in red, black, and green on the evening of Juneteenth.