Park Authority

CONTACT INFORMATION: Open during regular business hours 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday
703-324-8700 TTY 711
12055 Government Center Pkwy.
Fairfax, Virginia 22035
Jai Cole
Executive Director

Department Resources

Juneteenth

Celebrate Juneteenth with Fairfax County Parks

Join the Park Authority in honoring the history, resilience and contributions of African Americans in our community. Explore programs, tours and stories that commemorate Juneteenth—June 19, 1865—when the last enslaved people in the U.S. learned they were free. Celebrate freedom, culture and progress with us.


Juneteenth Celebration

Exploring our Historic Meeting House and Grounds

Saturday, June 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Frying Pan Farm Park, Free event, registration recommended

  • Uncover stories of free and enslaved African Americans
  • Learn how Black congregants fought for greater freedoms
  • Explore how they built a thriving community after emancipation
  • Join tours through of the church, grounds and former Lee house site

Celebrate Juneteenth in Fairfax Parks

Juneteenth Celebration - Sully Historic Site

Friday, June 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sully Historic Site, Free event, registration recommended

  • Honor emancipation with an engaging and educational celebration
  • Experience powerful storytelling and interactive family activities
  • Enjoy delicious food and guided historic site tours

Celebrate Juneteenth in Fairfax Parks

Grit and Grain – African American Millers

June 13, 11 a.m.-Noon, Colvin Run Mill, $11

  • Focus on African Americans’ labor, experience and knowledge in 19th-century grist milling
  • Explore a historic mill
  • Learn about African American millers in Fairfax County
  • Connects to VA250 and Fairfax 250 commemoration

Celebrate Juneteenth in Fairfax Parks

Family Skate and Dance Night

Saturday, June 20, 6-9 p.m., Franconia Rec Center, $10 per person

  • Celebrate Juneteenth with a night of skating, music and dancing
  • Wear red, black and green — yellow encouraged
  • Enjoy an evening with friends, family and community
  • Honor freedom, resilience and the joy of what’s possible

Celebrate Juneteenth in Fairfax County Parks

Juneteenth Commemoration at Sully Historic Site

Thank you to our 2024 Sully Historic Site Juneteenth Commemoration Sponsors! The Sully Historic Site Juneteenth Commemoration is provided through a partnership between the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Fairfax County Park Foundation, the Sully Foundation and the Friends of Historic Centreville.

Freedom at Green Spring…Sooner or Later

In 1777, gentleman freeholder John Moss (c. 1723-1809) established Green Spring Farm in Alexandria. Today, the family home that was built in 1784 is open to the public as the Historic House at Green Spring Gardens. As a landowner and a justice of the county court who had served George Washington during the Revolutionary War, Moss was no doubt influenced by the enlightened ideals that triggered the revolution and led to growing unease over the legitimacy of slavery. Yet many “enlightened” enslavers continued to uphold the practice, including John Moss.

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OSP Blog - A Juneteenth Tea for Two

At Green Spring Gardens, friendships have been forged over afternoon tea, a social ritual that has been connecting people for centuries. A bronze sculpture named “Let’s Have Tea” in Rochester, New York, depicts two unlikely friends bonding over cups of tea and provides food for thought on Juneteenth...

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OSP Blog - Jinny: A Glimpse at her American Story

American history is shaped by all who participate. That includes the millions of enslaved people who did not always have a voice. The institution of slavery came in many forms. One was the hiring out, or renting, of enslaved people. The Machen family at Walney Farm...

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OSP Blog - Set Free: In all things to act and do as a free man

“All slaves are free.”

Our country celebrates those words on Juneteenth. It was June 19, 1865, when U. S. General Gordon Granger read aloud General Orders No. 3, “…in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

Federal troops had arrived in Galveston, Texas, to regain control of the state. Six months later, on December 6, 1865, Congress ratified the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, formally ending slavery in the United States...

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Fairfax County Public Library Resources

Want to learn more about Juneteenth and why this day is special? Explore the Fairfax County Public Library Juneteenth reading list, videos and other resources.

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