Asheville Celebrates Juneteenth with Music, Community, and Reflection

Good morning, this is your Asheville Local Frequency for Thursday, June 19, 2025. Today, Asheville wakes up with a vibrant sense of celebration as the city marks Juneteenth, honoring the end of slavery in the United States and embracing the progress toward equality. Since 2021, Juneteenth has been an official city holiday, so all Asheville city offices are closed today, giving everyone a chance to take part in the festivities or simply enjoy a day out in our beautiful mountain town. The heart of today’s events is the Juneteenth Celebration Song at the Friendship Community Center on Shiloh Road, running from noon to 2 p.m. This event, co-organized by the Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, promises powerful performances, heartfelt community moments, and a chance to reflect together on history and the ongoing journey toward justice. Later in the day, the celebration bursts into full swing downtown with the Juneteenth edition of Downtown After 5 in Pack Square from 5 to 9 p.m., featuring headliner Southern Avenue and an energetic opening set by DJ Phantom Pantone. Expect live music, dancing, local food, crafts, and a contagious spirit of togetherness, with a special nod to local leaders who have worked hard to make this diverse gathering possible. All Juneteenth events are free, thanks to the generosity of local sponsors and city partners. Whether you want to join a discussion about local history and landmarks or just soak up the music and food, there’s something for everyone. In other headlines, Asheville is recovering from dramatic weather overnight. I-40 remains shut down near the state line after a possible rockslide and flooding, so if you’re traveling east or west, check your route and expect detours. Meanwhile, in West Asheville, authorities are investigating a shooting at a local apartment complex that left one person injured; police have a suspect in custody, and say there’s no ongoing threat to the community. Around town, the annual Arc of Buncombe County luncheon paid tribute to late board chair Oscar Wong, whose lifetime of service inspired many. Duke Energy is sharing tips to keep your summer bills down as temperatures head into the mid-80s this weekend, and a proud father-son duo graduated together from the largest WNC police academy class in a decade—just another reminder of how strong our community bonds remain. Finally, as the city heads into the weekend, look for more Juneteenth festivities and plenty of chances to connect, reflect, and celebrate. For more details on events, or to get involved, visit the city’s website or mlkasheville.org. This has been Asheville Local Frequency. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.