Our Vendors 2024

Juneteenth NYC has always been more than a celebration — it is a statement of economic intent. The 2024 vendor marketplace marked a milestone year, with applications surpassing 400 for the first time and a record-breaking number of first-time vendors earning a spot on the festival grounds. For the entrepreneurs who participated, a booth at Juneteenth NYC represents far more than a single day of sales. It is a launching pad, a community connection, and a declaration that Black business belongs at the center of culture.

This year's marketplace was organized across six thematic zones, each designed to create an immersive browsing experience for attendees. Visitors moved through the Food Heritage Lane, the Fashion Forward Row, the Artisan Quarter, the Wellness Circle, the Family Discovery Zone, and the Knowledge Exchange. Each zone was curated with intentionality — neighboring vendors were selected to complement one another, creating conversations between businesses and between customers.

The economic impact of the 2024 marketplace was substantial. Vendors collectively reported over $1.2 million in direct sales over the two-day festival, with an estimated $3.4 million in downstream revenue from customer relationships initiated at the event. For many vendors, the connections made at Juneteenth NYC 2024 led to wholesale agreements, retail partnerships, and media coverage that extended their reach far beyond the festival grounds.

How the Vendor Selection Process Works

Juneteenth NYC takes the curation of its vendor marketplace seriously. Every applicant is reviewed by a selection committee composed of community business leaders, festival alumni, and cultural advocates. The process evaluates Black ownership verification, product or service quality, alignment with the festival's cultural values, and the applicant's demonstrated commitment to community engagement.

Priority is given to vendors from New York City's five boroughs, particularly those from historically underserved communities in Harlem, the Bronx, Crown Heights, and Southeast Queens. However, out-of-state Black-owned businesses are also considered, especially when they bring products or services not otherwise represented in the marketplace.

Accepted vendors receive far more than a booth space. The Juneteenth NYC vendor program includes pre-festival marketing support, social media features through the festival's channels, introductions to buyers and media contacts, and access to post-festival networking events. Many of the vendors who participated in 2024 cited this wraparound support as one of the key differentiators between Juneteenth NYC and other festivals.

Featured Vendors of 2024

Among the standout participants of the 2024 marketplace was Harlem-based chef and restaurateur Denise Carter, whose Taste of the South booth drew some of the longest lines of the weekend. Carter, who has been operating a catering business since 2018, described the Juneteenth NYC festival as the event that finally gave her the visibility to expand into a brick-and-mortar location. Her smoked brisket, collard greens, and sweet potato pie were featured in multiple media reviews following the festival.

In the fashion zone, designer Marcus Webb debuted his "Ancestral Modern" streetwear collection to enormous audience response. Webb, who has been building his brand from a Brooklyn studio, sold out of his signature hoodies within the first three hours of day one. The festival's fashion team connected him with three boutique buyers during the event, leading to his first retail distribution agreements.

The visual art section was anchored by Bronx-based painter Yolanda Freeman, whose large-format oil paintings celebrating Juneteenth's historical significance stopped attendees in their tracks. Freeman sold eight original works at the festival and received a commission to create a permanent installation for a community center in the South Bronx — a commission that came directly from a collector who discovered her work at the Juneteenth NYC booth.

Supporting the Next Generation of Black Entrepreneurs

Juneteenth NYC 2024 introduced a new First-Time Vendor Mentorship Track, pairing new marketplace participants with experienced Black business owners for the months leading up to the festival. Mentors helped new vendors develop their booth presentation, set pricing strategies, manage inventory, and use the festival as a springboard for longer-term growth. Fifteen first-time vendors participated in the inaugural mentorship cohort, and all fifteen reported positive outcomes from both the mentorship experience and the festival itself.

The program reflects a core belief driving the Juneteenth NYC vendor initiative: that economic freedom is inseparable from cultural freedom. When Black entrepreneurs thrive, communities strengthen. When the marketplace is ours, the culture stays ours. The 2024 vendor program was not just a feature of the festival — it was an expression of the festival's deepest purpose.

Looking toward 2025, the vendor program will expand to three days for the first time, with a dedicated evening marketplace on the Friday of the festival weekend. This expansion will allow vendors to serve the growing Friday night crowds and participate in the broader Juneteenth NYC program, including the successful vendor initiatives from 2023 that laid the groundwork for this year's record-breaking participation.

If you are a Black-owned business interested in applying for the 2025 marketplace, visit the registration page to begin your application. Applications open in January and close on a rolling basis as spots are filled. We encourage early submissions to ensure consideration for preferred placement zones. You can also nominate a vendor you believe would be a strong addition to the Juneteenth NYC marketplace community.