Freedom
Honoring emancipation and the enduring pursuit of liberty, dignity, and self-determination.
Freedom · Legacy · Community
Juneteenth Twenty Twenty-Six
A celebration of emancipation built like an institution — honoring freedom, uplifting families, empowering young leaders, and investing in the entrepreneurs who carry the culture forward.
A Cultural Activation by Only A Few — Cultural Infrastructure & Operations
Lead Festival Partner: C4 Outreach — Capital City Cultural Community Outreach
The Meaning
Juneteenth is not an event. It is freedom remembered and legacy continued.
On June 19th, 1865, freedom finally reached those still held in bondage. More than a century and a half later, we gather not only to commemorate that day — but to build on it: with family, with enterprise, with young leadership, and with a community that owns its future.
What We Honor
Six pillars of the celebration.
Every part of the day is designed around the values that turn a holiday into a movement.
Family
A welcoming, multigenerational gathering where elders, parents, and children celebrate together.
Entrepreneurship
A marketplace platform for Black-owned businesses, makers, and vendors to reach the community.
Youth Leadership
Centering young leaders with real roles, mentorship, and a stage to shape what comes next.
Community Empowerment
Connecting residents to resources, organizations, and each other — strengthening local bonds.
Legacy
Building a recurring tradition that outlasts any single day and belongs to the whole city.
OAF's Role
Not an event coordinator. A cultural activation & youth-engagement partner.
OAF brings the audience trust, operating systems, and youth-leadership pipeline that turn a community celebration into durable infrastructure. We mobilize people, organize vendors, develop young leaders, and build the partnerships that let Juneteenth grow year over year.
- 01Audience & mobilization. One of the region's strongest organic networks, activated for civic good.
- 02Operations & production. Staffing, logistics, and execution systems proven across venues.
- 03Youth leadership development. Real roles and mentorship for the next generation of organizers.
- 04Partnership & sponsorship. A bridge connecting brands, civic leaders, and nonprofits to the community.
The Experience
A full day, built for everyone.
The Black Business Marketplace
A curated vendor village spotlighting local entrepreneurs, makers, and food — putting community dollars back into community hands.
Family & Community Zone
Kid-friendly activities, multigenerational space, and resource tables from local organizations and partners.
Live Cultural Programming
Music, spoken word, and performances honoring heritage and celebrating the culture.
Step Show Challenge
A focused youth-leadership showcase with performance discipline, clear staging, awards, and a family-friendly standard.
Community & Civic Village
Nonprofits, civic leaders, and institutions connecting residents to opportunity and resources.
Step Show block runs 3:00pm-4:30pm · Additional programming announcements coming soon
Step Show Run of Show
A disciplined stage block for teams, families, and partner organizations.
The Step Show Challenge is built to move with clarity: a one-way backstage flow, timed performance slots, clean content standards, and awards protected on the clock.
3:00pm-4:30pm
MC opens the block at 3:00pm. Teams perform in a protected 3:05pm-4:05pm window, followed by judging, stage reset, and awards beginning at 4:15pm.
Teams 1 and 2 staged, sound checks complete.
MC opens the Step Show Challenge.
Ten timed performance slots with fast transitions.
Judges tally while the stage resets for awards.
Awards begin.
Step Show concludes.
Check-in → Warm-up → On-deck → Stage → Exit / Recovery. Teams move one direction only, with staging numbers used at every handoff so there is no order confusion.
Each team has a four-minute maximum, receives a 30-second warning, and is expected to keep music, movement, props, and crowd engagement clean and family-friendly.
Unsafe props, explicit content, disrespect toward staff or judges, or safety issues can pause or stop a performance. The priority is a fair, safe, all-ages showcase.
Get Involved
Build this with us.
Juneteenth belongs to the whole community. There's a place for every partner at the table.
01
Sponsors & Brands
Reach a trusted, engaged community through authentic cultural activation and visibility.
Sponsorship inquiry →
02
Vendors
Showcase your business in the marketplace and connect directly with the community.
Vendor application →
03
Civic & Nonprofit
Bring resources and programs to the civic village and serve residents on the day.
Partner with us →
04
Families & Volunteers
Come celebrate, or join the team building the day. Everyone has a role to play.
Volunteer form →
Scan to share
Spread the word. Carry the legacy.
This page is your hub for everything Juneteenth 2026 at Cascades Park — built to be scanned, shared, and acted on. Share it with family, supporters, civic leaders, vendors, and community partners.