Name: Downtown Akron Juneteenth Kick-Off Celebration
Start: 2026-06-07T14:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-06-07T20:00:00-04:00
Location: Lock 3 Akron, Ohio

We invite you to join us for the 2026 Downtown Akron Juneteenth Kick-Off Celebration in Lock 3 on Sunday, June 7. The theme of this year's celebration Cultivating Our Future. The event will feature food trucks and trailers, local vendors and organizations, live music and performances, free crafts, and hourly, free small group workshops based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
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.
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."
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 the Downtown Akron Juneteenth Kickoff Celebration, the Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration, and the Sakura Festival in downtown, to invite all members of the community to enjoy their downtown.
-------------------------------------------------
FEATURING
emcee Ace Epps
Embracing UR Journey
JustUs Line Dance Crew
Saxy Rob
DJ Vinnie G
Pastor Richard Cash with choir
Cleveland Association of Black Story Tellers Donna Willingham
Divine 9 Group Stroll
Jeremy Seeden
COMMUNITY LEARNING TENTS / WORKSHOPS (details to come!)
⭐️ Umoja (Unity) — Planting Seeds of Wisdom for the Future
⭐️ Kujichagulia (Self Determination) — Vision in Bloom: Designing the Future we Choose
⭐️ Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility) — Growing Together: Stitch by Stitch
⭐️ Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) — Harvesting Wealth or Growing Community Prosperity
⭐️ Nia (Purpose) — The Purpose Garden: The Call to Grow
⭐️ Kuumba (Creativity) — Imagine & Create: Designing a Brighter Future
⭐️ Imani (Faith) — Spirit in Soil: Trusting What We Plant
VENDORS
⭐️ Retailers
• Brown Honey Bookstore
• Cel's Events LLC
• Hair Geek Studios & Stay Pretty Boutique
• Gothic and Goddess Dreams
• Julia Belle's Seasonings, Rubs & Mixes
• Essential Dipped Delights
• Trace Kismet Wellness
• Yoruba Queen Creations
• OrganicLi's Nursery & Rehab LLC
• Hailey's Herbal Harmony
⭐️ Food & Drink trucks, trailers, & tents
• Bereka Coffee & Kitchen
• Majestic Tails
• Brooks Homestyle BBQ, LLC
• T. Time Lemonade
• Southern Comfort Kitchen
• AC Ice Cream Truck
• Authentic Nigerian Kitchen
• The Cellar & Co.
⭐️ Organizations, Services, & Resources
• National Youth Advocate Program
• College Now Greater Cleveland
• Adventures of Riley & Ryan Children's Programs
• Summit County Historical Society
• County of Summit Executive Ilene Shapiro's Office
• Love in Action Ohio
• Marion F. Walker Queens Project
• Phoenix House
• METRO RTA
• CRPS Hope 4 a Cure
• Akron-Summit County Public Library
• Moms Demand Action Akron/Canton
• A Better U Behavioral Health
• Signal Akron / Akron Documenters
• Cultivate Counseling & Consulting
-----------------------------------------------------
Artwork by Stephanie Stewart of P31 Art & Design
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.