Downtown Juneteenth Kick-Off More Info
Category: Event Calendar
Date and Time
- Sunday, Jun 7, 2026 2pm - 8pm
Details
What is the Downtown Akron Juneteenth Celebration and where did it come from?
You’re invited!
We invite you to join us for the 2026 Downtown Akron Juneteenth Celebration in Lock 3 on Sunday, June 7, from 2 to 8 pm.
Who is behind the celebration?
The Downtown Akron Juneteenth Celebration is presented by Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) and led by a planning committee made up of members of the Black community, including co-chairs Ebony Hill and Will Blake, along with numerous other volunteers.
Want to join the committee? Contact DAP at info@downtownakron.com, we'd love to include you!
What is DAP, and what do they do?
DAP is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to build and promote a vibrant and valuable downtown that is open to all people. We fulfill part of that mission by helping to facilitate cultural events, such as Juneteenth, the Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration, and the Sakura Festival in downtown, to invite all members of the community to enjoy their downtown.
What is the theme of this year’s celebration?
The 2026 theme of the downtown celebration is Cultivating Our Future; it was chosen by the planning committee and is supported by DAP.
Ebony Hill, co-chair of the Juneteenth planning committee, says "Juneteenth is about acknowledging the freedom, unbreakable spirit, creativity and wisdom that have always been a part of us, even in the face of adversity, and intentionally sowing those gifts into the future. This year’s celebration is an invitation for our community to come together, honor our history, celebrate our culture and plant seeds of hope, healing and possibility for the generations to come."
Celebration artwork and representation
In creating this year’s celebration, the planning committee worked with a talented and accomplished local African American artist and educator, Stephanie Stewart, whose painting is the centerpiece of the visual identity of the 2026 celebration.
About Stephanie Stewart
"Stephanie Stewart is the multimedia artist and owner of P31 Art & Design. She has been a contributor to the arts and culture sector for many years and has built a creative business from the ground up. Stewart consistently produces original works of art that are used as a central point of inspiration for all of her handmade products and print goods. Stewart works in the mediums of acrylic paint, watercolor, and mixed media content. With her love for art with a focus on the contemporary genre, Stewart’s artwork has been exhibited in galleries and art venues throughout northeast Ohio. Most recently her work has been on view with the Akron Black Artist Guild, Akron Women’s Art League, Summit County Land Bank, and the GAR Foundation. She also has had public artworks on view through the Slavic Village Rooms to Let, Waterloo Arts Project, and the City of Akron’s Kerr Park Mural installation."—quoted from the Ohio Arts Council Arts Learning Directory website.
View more artwork by Stephanie Stewart: P31 Art & Design
What else to expect of the Downtown Akron Juneteenth Celebration.
The 2026 Downtown Celebration will feature small-group workshops and demonstrations led by individuals from throughout the community, and exhibiting the 7 principles of Kwanzaa:
1. Umoja (Unity)
2. Kujichagulia (Self-determination)
3. Ujima (Collective work and responsibility)
4. Umjamaa (Cooperative Economics)
5. Nia (Purpose)
6. Kuumba (Creativity)
7. Imani (Faith)
Black-owned businesses, including food trucks and vendors and retail vendors will also be at the celebration, including Brooks Homestyle BBQ, Southern Comfort Kitchen, Yoruba Queen Creations, Essential Dipped Delights, and Hailey's Herbal Harmony, among many others.
Other event highlights will include storytelling, a D9 Group Stroll; educationally focused crafts and live musical acts (Saxy Rob, Jeremy Seeden, DJ Vinnie G and more) on the Maynard Performance Pavilion stage to fortify a joyful atmosphere.
Follow the event on downtownakron.com for updated information about vendors, performances, demonstrations and more.
The 2026 Downtown Akron Juneteenth Celebration is presented by DAP and planned by the Downtown Akron Juneteenth Planning Committee, Ebony Hill and Will Blake, co-chairs.
The celebration is supported by the City of Akron, and Lock 3. Additional support is provided by Knight Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, Akron Community Foundation, Akron Civic Commons and GAR Foundation.
