Sixth Year Recognizing Juneteenth as a Holiday

The City of Flint will commemorate Juneteenth for the sixth consecutive year as a municipal holiday on Thursday, June 19, 2025. In observance, City Hall will be closed, and city employees will receive a paid day off in recognition of this important moment in American history.

This year’s celebration continues a tradition that began under Mayor Sheldon Neeley’s leadership in 2020, when Flint became one of the first municipalities in Michigan to formally acknowledge Juneteenth as an official city holiday.

“Juneteenth is more than a celebration—it’s a solemn reminder of how far we’ve come and a renewed call to honor the fight for equity, dignity, and justice,” said Mayor Sheldon Neeley. “The City of Flint is proud to continue leading with purpose and truth as we mark this important day.”

To celebrate the holiday, the City of Flint and the Downtown Development Authority will again present a free fireworks display at Chevy Commons at dusk (approximately 10 p.m.). The display will be visible throughout downtown Flint and is open to all residents.
Essential services, including police, fire, and street operations, will remain active. Waste collection services will not be interrupted and will proceed on the regular schedule for the week.

About Juneteenth
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and informed enslaved African Americans of their freedom. It is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States and became a federal holiday in 2021.