WE OUTSIDE! A Brooklyn Juneteenth, Vol. IV to Return to Downtown Brooklyn

For its sixth annual Juneteenth Celebration, 651 ARTS will once again join forces with The Soapbox Presents for We Outside! A Brooklyn Juneteenth, Vol. IV, a special Juneteenth celebration that has become one of Downtown Brooklyn’s signature community gatherings

Taking place Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 2pm to 8pm, the free all-day event will transform The Plaza at 300 Ashland into a vibrant hub of music, movement, artistry, and fellowship commemorating Freedom Day through live performance, storytelling, food, and community.  

Curated with The Soapbox Presents as part of their expansive Juneteenth celebration, We Outside! continues the exploration of Black freedom, Black joy and the concept of using public space as a living expression of community and for cultural exchange. At a time when opportunities for meaningful connection, cultural visibility, and communal gathering feel more necessary than ever, the event serves as both a celebration and affirmation of the enduring power of Black community. Dubbed “Downtown Brooklyn’s biggest stoop,” the annual gathering draws inspiration from the longstanding traditions through which Black communities have cultivated connection, resilience, creativity, and celebration - from neighborhood block parties and front porch conversations to music, movement, and shared cultural rituals passed across generations.  

At the center of We Outside! is The Soapbox Presents’ celebrated Stoop Sessions series. Originally popularized on the stoops of Harlem, the series reimagines the tradition of gathering outside as a communal cultural experience rooted in music, storytelling, and joy. This year ‘s edition - Stoop Session: Freedom Songs - will serve as a soundtrack of liberation, moving through protest songs, soul classics, party anthems, and contemporary sounds that reflect the depth, brilliance, and enduring spirit of Black musical traditions.

Featured artists and participants for the full day We Outside! celebration includes Black Buttafly, Jillian Grace, Bel-Ami, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, JSWISS, Brooklyn United, Jeff Selby, and many more.

 Additional programming highlights for the day include:

• The Cypher: Rep Your Style – Dance becomes dialogue as participants represent their styles, cities, and cultures through movement, rhythm, and collective expression. 
• Young, Gifted and Black – Inspired by HBCU culture, Young, Gifted &Black celebrates the traditions born out of necessity at educational institutions made for African Americans by African Americans and the young people continuing the legacy. This segment will showcase a mix of marching bands, drumlines, and majorette squads.
• Word on the Street – Poets and musicians come together for an immersive exploration of freedom, resistance, memory, and Black imagination through spoken word and live performance. 
• Made Black: A Juneteenth Marketplace –Curated by Brooklyn Pop-Up, this unique Black Artisan market will showcase Brooklyn-based Black artisans, designers, and entrepreneurs through fashion, handcrafted goods, wellness products, art, and more in a vibrant community-centered marketplace experience

Now entering its fourth year, We Outside! continues to evolve in response to the community that has embraced it. Organizers have expanded food offerings, increased visibility throughout the plaza experience, and deepened opportunities for community engagement through this year’s visual identity campaign. The 2026 artwork was selected through a community sourced commission process and created by Harlem-based artist Jocelyn Goode whose work will also be exhibited as part of this year’s celebration.  

“We Outside was created to claim space for the collective practice of Black expression through joy, Black art and culture, and community,” said Toya A. Lillard, Executive Director of 651 ARTS. “Each year, we continue to witness how deeply people value opportunities to gather intentionally in celebration of freedom, creativity, and togetherness. In this moment especially, creating spaces where Black communities can be visible, connected, and celebrated feels profoundly important. What makes this event so powerful is that it not only commemorates Juneteenth but also reflects the longstanding traditions of how our communities come together through music, storytelling, movement, and collective joy. We’re proud to continue our partnership with The Soapbox Presents, whose commitment to community-centered cultural experiences aligns so deeply with our own mission, and excited to welcome audiences back to The Plaza for another unforgettable celebration.”

“At a time when so many of our rights & liberties are being threatened, Saturday, June 20th we’ll gather on Ashland Plaza to celebrate freedom, but also to manifest freedom,” Founder & Executive Director of The Soapbox Presents Marija Abney added. “We have intentionally curated an intergenerational celebration that’s free of charge with the aim of giving access to all. And this year we are thrilled to expand our community to welcome those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, by including ASL interpretations for noted segments. We Outside! is a declaration of resilience and a collective practice of protest through joy, unapologetic Black expression, and of course community. Here we will stand on our soapbox to sing, dance, and speak our stories. And because we believe in building coalitions to build community, we are proud to join forces for the 4th consecutive year with 651Arts to bring a Freedom Day celebration like none other to downtown Brooklyn.”  

Juneteenth is an annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. Though the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves was signed January 1, 1863, enslaved African Americans in Galveston Bay, Texas learned of their freedom from the Union Army, June 19, 1865, after the Emancipation Proclamation was announced. Juneteenth is the longest standing African American holiday observed in the United States.