The Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation Board proudly announces its agenda for the 2026 Juneteenth Celebration. The 2026 celebration will be held Friday, June 26, 2026 thru Sunday, June 28, 2026. Activities will be held in Higginsville and Lexington. The theme is “Freedom: Yesterday’s Legacy, Today’s Promise, and Tomorrow’s Hope!” Alcohol is not permitted. Everyone is welcome. Children under the age of 14 need to be accompanied by an adult.

The opening day starts at the Higginsville Park Community Building. There will be a 9 a.m. flag raising ceremony, a menu of educational and recreational activities for a group of summer school students. There will be an annual 11 a.m. Meet & Greet whereby community organizations are invited to hear and share information of interest for the public. A Welcome Potluck Dinner will be held at 5 p.m. to honor Mrs. Willa Mae Robinson, guest speaker. Willa is the founder and former owner of Willa’s Books & Vinyl located at 5547 Troost in Kansas City. It is the oldest black-owned bookstore in Missouri. The bookstore features literature and music of African American writers and musicians and other mainstream authors and musicians. The new owners are the KC Defenders.

Saturday, June 27, 2026 activities will be held in Higginsville at the Fairground Park. Activities include special displays, a Black History Trivia Game, Displays, children’s games, basketball, croquet, horseshoes, an old time basket dinner potluck, music by the Jazzioso, a jazz band from Warrensburg, a panel discussion with Douglass Schools alumni, Sounds of Experience, Emanuel, 104 year-old Helene and Garnett!- Peter Wilkinson’s video interviews, and “Got My Diploma! Got My Degree!”- recognition of recent graduates.

On Sunday, June 28, 2026 activities will be held in Lexington. There will be an 11 a.m. worship service at the Second Missionary Baptist Church (1201 Main Street, Lexington). Reverend Everett Hannon, Jr. is the pastor.

The closing 2 p.m. event is the Gospel Extravaganza featuring top talented singers. The event is sponsored by the Minutemen Pride-Alan Lee and the Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation.

A complete listing of event information can be found on the Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation Facebook and at lafayettecountyjuneteenth-blogspot.com

Arron Haynes is the president of the Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation. The group is seeking volunteers to help with the celebration. Please contact Haynes regarding any questions at 816-4193704. He can also be contacted at abhaynes@ctcis. net.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. On June 19, 1865, union soldiers, led by General-Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with 2000 Federal troops to issue the order that the Civil War had ended and all slaves were free. This was two and half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that had become official on Jan. 1, 1863.

The first Lafayette County, MO Juneteenth celebration was held in 2005. Annual observances have occurred during most years since our start. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday. Juneteenth National Independence Day is the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.

The Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation is a nonprofit 501-C3 organization.

Mission Statement

The Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation mission is to develop and implement a festival that promotes the celebration of family, celebrates African American freedom, and cultivates mutual involvement of social service entities, and economic participation of the county-wide business community.

The Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation is a nonprofit 501-c3 organization.