Juneteenth Heritage Festival
A free Saturday at Lincoln University every June: a parade in the morning, then music, food, vendors and history all afternoon.
- When
- A Saturday in mid-June, ahead of June 19. In 2026: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., parade at 9:30.
- Where
- Lincoln University's campus
- Cost
- Free
- Who runs it
- Juneteenth Jefferson City, with Lincoln University as host and sponsor
We haven't seen a confirmed date for 2027 yet.
The last one was Saturday, June 13, 2026. Usually: A Saturday in mid-June.
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What it is
Jefferson City's Juneteenth Heritage Festival is a free family day on the Lincoln University campus: a community parade in the morning, then live music, dance, food trucks, a vendor market and an afternoon of things for kids to do.
It is sponsored by Juneteenth Jefferson City and Lincoln University, which hosts it, and 2026 was its 26th year.
The 2026 festival also offered tours of African American history in Jefferson City, leaving every half hour.
What to expect
The parade comes first (9:30 a.m. in 2026), and the festival runs into the afternoon.
The music is local and regional. In 2025 that meant R&B and jazz saxophonist Tim Cunningham, with Adrianne Felton-King, jazz artist Sylvia Ferguson and rapper DLO.
2025 also had a car show of classic and custom vehicles, and a vendor village of handmade goods, art, fashion and community resources.
For kids: bounce houses, games, face painting and a magician in 2025; scooter raffles and giveaways in 2026.
Past years
- 2026Saturday, June 13, 2026The 26th festival: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., parade at 9:30, with history tours every half hour.
- 2025Saturday, June 14, 2025On Soldiers Field, the practice field next to ROTC Hall, with a car show and a vendor village.
Official information
Schedules, maps and changes come from the people who run it.
Lincoln University: Juneteenth Heritage Festival (2026) ↗Questions people ask
When is Juneteenth celebrated in Jefferson City?
At the Juneteenth Heritage Festival, held on a Saturday in mid-June. It was June 13 in 2026 and June 14 in 2025.
Where is the Juneteenth festival?
On the Lincoln University campus. In 2025 it was on Soldiers Field, the practice field next to ROTC Hall; the 2026 listing gave the main campus address, 903 Lafayette Street.
Is the Juneteenth festival free?
Yes. Lincoln University describes it as a free, family-friendly celebration, with free activities for children.
Is there a Juneteenth parade?
Yes, a community parade. In 2026 it stepped off at 9:30 a.m., before the festival opened at 10.
More every year in Jefferson City
- Salute to AmericaJuly · July 4, fireworks at 9:45 p.m.
- Jefferson City Jaycees Cole County FairJuly · Monday to Saturday at the end of July, 5 to 11 p.m.
- Oktoberfest in Old MunichburgSeptember · A Saturday in late September
- Labor Day ParadeSeptember · The Saturday after Labor Day, 11 a.m.
Where this comes from: 2 sources, checked October 18, 2026
- Juneteenth Heritage Festival (June 13, 2026) Lincoln University
- Juneteenth-Jefferson City Heritage Festival (June 14, 2025) Lincoln University