Mark Randel dances with his 2-year-old son, Jaxon, during the OC Juneteenth Celebration at the Great Park in Irvine on Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Lorena Luke, 7, does the double jump rope as Taylor Thomas watches during the OC Juneteenth Celebration at the Great Park in Irvine on Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kevin Peterson of Corona, and Naomi Nemo of Fontana, spend time with family at the OC Juneteenth Celebration in Irvine’s Great Park on Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The OC Juneteenth Celebration at the Great Park in Irvine gets people on their feet and dancing to live music on Saturday, June 20, 2026. The event marks the emancipation of enslaved Blacks in Texas. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
BIPOC Orange County hosted a celebration of freedom and culture at the Irvine Great Park on Saturday, June 20.
Read more Burning Boyle Heights warehouse is part of world’s largest cold-storage food company
The annual Juneteenth event offered music and dancing. There were performances and a marketplace celebrating African American culture and arts. Local organizations offered information about resources and there was lots of food to try.
The afternoon celebration was one of several on Friday and Saturday in Orange County to mark the holiday and honor the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the United States and the contributions and vibrancy of the community.
Still to come, Gospel Voices of OC will be held on June 27 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.
Read more Sparks seeking defensive consistency against Liberty
The benefit concert is produced by Arts & Learning Conservatory Founder/CEO Debora Wondercheck; the conservancy, based in Costa Mesa, offers youth free or low-cost access to arts programs.
The concert will feature performances “tied to themes of freedom, resilience, and unity presented through choral, dance, band, spoken word, digital media, and theatre traditions.” Information and tickets: thebarclay.org.
Read more World Cup: Belgium and Iran meet in key Group G match