photo by: Shawn Valverde/Special to the Journal-World

The Juneteenth parade makes its way down Massachusetts Street on Saturday, June 14, 2025.

Lawrence will kick off a two-day 2026 Juneteenth celebration on Friday with parades, festivals and community block parties.

On Friday, Juneteenth festivities will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at South Park, 1141 Massachusetts St. A free community meal and board games will be offered as well as live performances from DJ Biz, Emmi Torres, Dre Logic, DeMarris Patton and B.L.A.C.K Lawrence.

High school students who won the Juneteenth Writing Contest, which encourages reflection on the meaning of freedom and Black history in Kansas, will also be recognized Friday evening.

Underground railroad tours will be hosted by the Watkins Museum of History from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, meeting at South Park. The buses will travel to historic sites in Lawrence where attendees can learn stories about the Underground Railroad and the fight for a free Kansas. As of Thursday, the bus tours were full and people can join the waitlist at https://shorturl.at/2J37W.

The Juneteenth Parade will be on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. in downtown Lawrence on Massachusetts St. The parade will feature marching groups, dance teams, community organizations, floats and other performers.

Following the parade from noon to 8 p.m., there will be a celebration at South Park. The park will include lots of family friendly activities, live music, food and retail vendors and lots of soccer themed activities. To see the full list of vendors, visit https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceKsJuneteenth/.

The live performances on Saturday at South Park include Barry Barnes, CJ Thomas, VCMN, Yung Flossa, Stranded in the City, Approach, Deepa Reality, Dre Logic, Silent Ave & Friends, D Twist and Almighty Oz. It will also feature DJ Bizzy.

Many businesses and community organizations will have altered service hours in observance to Juneteenth.

• City of Lawrence offices will be closed on Friday.

• Douglas County government offices, such as the Treasurer’s Office, Elections Office, District Attorney’s Office, District Court and the Senior Resource Center will be closed on Friday.

• Lawrence Transit will continue to have routes 1-12 in service, but there will be a reduced schedule for routes 11 and 12. Central Station will be closed on Friday.

• The Outdoor Aquatic Center, 727 Kentucky St., will be open with holiday hours from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be no classes or swim lessons.

• Parks, Recreation and Culture facilities will be closed on Friday, including the administrative office and cemeteries office in South Park, Indoor Aquatic Center, Community Building, East Lawrence Recreation Center, Holcom Park Recreation Center, and Sports Pavilion Lawrence. All other programs will not be held, including Unified camp, South Park camp, and Gymnastics camp.

• Lawrence Public Library will be closed on Friday.

• The Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center will be closed on Friday. Crisis care will be available through HeadQuarters Kansas by calling 988 and the Treatment & Recovery Center will be open for walk-in crisis support.

• Parking meters, lots and garages in Lawrence will be free on Friday.