Juneteenth marks the anniversary of June 19, 1865 when thousands of enslaved people received the news that they were emancipated after Union forces arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enact President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation signed more than two years earlier. In honor of our Juneteenth, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is offering free admission to the Historic Area on June 19 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. To receive complimentary admission, please add your free tickets to your cart. Valid June 19, 2026 only. Special Events include but not limited to: ▪️ Freedom's Paradox (tour) ▪️ Glory (special event) ▪️ Freedom Tree (special event) ▪️ Class is in Session (activity) ▪️ Staged Reading: A Gathering of Hair (special event) ▪️ Permission to be Free (special event) ▪️ Becoming History: Special Juneteenth Edition (panel discussion) ▪️ All-American Jazz Band Swings Through Time (special event) ▪️ Sheila Arnold Presents: Ol' Bess (special event) ▪️ Juneteenth Sunrise Service (special event)