There is more than one way to celebrate Juneteenth. Backyard cookouts, humble picnics at the neighborhood park, and local festivals serving barbecue and strawberry soda all honor June 19, 1865, the day more than 200,000 enslaved Black Americans learned they were free—more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Though Juneteenth has only recently been recognized as a federal holiday, Black communities across the United States have celebrated “freedom day” or “emancipation day” for generations.

At the center of many Juneteenth gatherings is the cookout: an intergenerational spread in where smoky meats, fresh sides, icy drinks, and seasonal desserts bring people together. From Houston to Milwaukee to Oakland and Washington, DC, home cooks often build their menus around crowd-pleasing staples like grilled meats, hot links, fish fries, slaws, baked beans, and cobblers. Red drinks are a longstanding part of Juneteenth celebrations too; hibiscus, watermelon, and ruby-hued fruit punches are often served as a tribute to resilience, remembrance, and West African culinary traditions carried across the diaspora.

The Juneteenth recipes below span smoky mains, fresh sides, red drinks, and celebratory desserts—all made for gathering with family and friends.