Opal Lee Leads Fort Worth’s Juneteenth Walk, Plus Citywide Celebrations

From marches to music, Fort Worth’s Juneteenth events celebrate freedom and reflect on history.

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In the heat of a Texas June, before the morning sun crests the roofs of Fort Worth, a crowd will gather at Farrington Field. At the front, a woman in white sneakers and a steady stride will lead the way — 98-year-old Opal Lee, the Fort Worth activist whose years of walking, lobbying, and educating helped push Juneteenth into the national consciousness and, in 2021, onto the federal calendar. 

This year’s Opal’s Walk for Freedom, a 2.5-mile route symbolizing the two and a half years it took for news of emancipation to reach the enslaved people of Texas, begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 19. It’s more than just a ceremonial march — it’s the heartbeat of a city that has, over the last few years, found itself at the center of the national Juneteenth conversation. 

The story of Juneteenth — named for the day Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston in 1865 to declare the end of slavery — is inextricably tied to Texas. Though the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect more than two years earlier, enforcement in the remote Confederate state lagged until Union troops finally landed on the Gulf Coast. Granger’s General Order No. 3 informed Texans that "all slaves are free," and that their new relationship would be "that between employer and hired labor." 

What began as community cookouts and prayer gatherings in Galveston slowly expanded, evolving into parades, concerts, readings of the Emancipation Proclamation — and now, national reflection. Still, it took over 150 years before Congress and the White House acted. President Joe Biden signed Juneteenth into law as a federal holiday in 2021, crediting Opal Lee’s tireless work. 

Fort Worth’s Role in the Movement 

Fort Worth isn’t just where Lee calls home — it’s becoming a focal point of Black history and future. Plans for the National Juneteenth Museum, first announced in 2022, are underway in the city’s Historic Southside. And this year, the slate of events stretching across Tarrant County reflects both a solemn acknowledgment of history and a vibrant celebration of freedom’s ongoing expression. 

Opal’s Walk for Freedom

  • June 19, 9 a.m. | Farrington Field, 1501 University Drive | $35
  • Led by Opal Lee herself, this annual walk honors the delay between the Emancipation Proclamation and the liberation of the enslaved in Texas. Expect a jubilant, intergenerational crowd and plenty of community pride.

Arlington Juneteenth Celebration

  • June 21, 6 p.m. | Levitt Pavilion, 100 W. Abram St., Arlington | Free
  • Sam’s Big Funky Nation headlines a high-energy night in Arlington with vendors, soul food, and funk-drenched vibes. A perfect excuse to cross the county line.

A Juneteenth Comedy Celebration

  • June 19, 7:30–11 p.m. | Dickies Arena, 1911 Montgomery St. | $83.50–$209.50
  • Laughter is also a form of resistance. D.L. Hughley, Earthquake, Melanie Comarcho, Bubba Dub, and J.J. Williamson bring the fire — and the punchlines — to an all-white-attire event promising cathartic fun.

Free Admission Day at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden

  • June 19, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. | 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. | Free
  • Take a breather among the blooms. The gardens open their gates free of charge in observance of Juneteenth, offering a peaceful, reflective space for families and visitors of all ages.

Freedom Vibes Block Party

  • June 21, 3–9 p.m. | Evans Plaza, 1050 Evans Ave. | Free
  • Historic Southside turns up the energy with a daylong block party featuring food, vendors, local artists, and family programming. Community spirit runs high here — and so does the music.

Freedom Vibes Concert Series

  • June 19–20, 7:30 p.m. | Bass Performance Hall, 525 Commerce St. | $48.90–$285.90
  • This year’s concerts are headlined by the legendary O’Jays, The Whispers, and Orchestra Noir. Sophisticated, soulful, and full of celebratory groove.

Freedom Vibes: Speaker Series with Ambassador Andrew Young

  • June 19, 3 p.m. | I.M. Terrell Academy, 1411 I.M. Terrell Circle | $0–$161.90
  • Civil rights icon Andrew Young — former U.N. ambassador and confidant of Dr. King — will take the stage to discuss past battles and ongoing struggles. Expect wisdom, truth, and a standing ovation.

Juneteenth at the Lenora Rolla Heritage Center Museum

  • June 19, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Lenora Rolla Heritage Center Museum, 1020 E. Humbolt St. | Free
  • This intimate museum in Fort Worth’s Historic Southside is hosting a day of cultural connection, including food, games, and pop-up booths from local art institutions. A fitting way to explore local Black history.

Juneteenth: Black Freedom Through Music

  • June 19, 5–9 p.m. | Sundance Square Plaza, 420 Main St. | Free
  • Music has always been part of the fight. This evening event features soul-stirring performances from Brandi Waller-Pace, Shanice Richards, Terence Bradford, Audra Scott, and EyeQ — a reminder that liberation often comes with a soundtrack.

Sunday Gospel Experience

  • June 22, 4 p.m. | The Potter’s House of Fort Worth, 12780 Woodhaven Blvd. | Free
  • The Freedom Vibes festival closes out with soaring voices and spiritual roots. Local choirs gather in one of the city’s largest sanctuaries for a joyful noise befitting the occasion.

While most federal, state, and city offices will be closed on June 19 — including post offices, banks, the DMV, and the Social Security Administration — many private businesses and national retailers will remain open. UPS and FedEx will operate on normal schedules. 

But beyond the closures, Juneteenth is becoming a mirror. It reflects how far we’ve come and how much remains undone. And in Fort Worth — where a nonagenarian grandmother continues to walk for freedom each year — that reflection is particularly powerful. 

Because Opal Lee doesn’t just honor history. She moves it forward, one step at a time.