Baylor Joins Greater Waco Community for Juneteenth Celebrations
Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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Baylor University will join with the Greater Waco community in celebration of Juneteenth, a national holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
Two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to bring the news of freedom for all enslaved people. Juneteenth is one of the longest-running African American holidays and was designated a federal holiday in 2021.
Baylor University will be closed Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of Juneteenth.
Juneteenth 2026 Events in Waco
Day 1 - Juneteenth Festival on the Brazos: Gospel Experience
The Juneteenth Festival on the Brazos will feature an unforgettable evening of soulful gospel music, amazing food and family-friendly activities celebrating freedom and culture from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, June 19, 2026, at City of Waco Brazos Park East, 3800 S. University Parks Drive. Admission is free. Gates open at 3 p.m. For more information, visit the festival’s Eventbrite webpage.
Brazos Nights: MC Lyte & The Zapp Band
Brazos Nights, the City of Waco’s free riverfront concert series, will feature hip-hop trailblazer MC Lyte and legendary funk icons The Zapp Band on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Indian Spring Park, 101 N. University Parks Drive. Admission is free. The event opens at 6 p.m., with performances beginning at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit brazosnightswaco.com.
CTAACC Annual Juneteenth Community Parade
The Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Juneteenth Community Parade Celebration, uniting families, businesses and civic leaders at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 20, beginning at Heritage Square on Austin Avenue in downtown Waco. The parade will move from Heritage Square, cross the Washington Avenue Bridge, travel the Elm Avenue corridor and end at the historic Paul Quinn Campus.
Among the Baylor University groups participating in this year’s parade are the Baylor Women’s Basketball team, Baylor Libraries, Baylor Law School, Baylor Bear Habitat, Baylor Black Faculty and Staff Association and the Baylor Office of Community Relations.
For more information, visit the CTAACC events website.
Day 2 - Juneteenth Festival on the Brazos: A Taste of Southern Soul
Day 2 of the Juneteenth Festival at Brazos Park East on Saturday, June 20, 2026, focuses on Southern Soul, featuring a tribute to Tony Thompson, food vendors and live music. Tickets are on sale now, with free admission for children aged 13 and under. Gates open at 3 p.m., with the event concluding at 10 p.m. For details and ticket information, visit the festival’s Eventbrite webpage.
Mayborn Museum Exhibit
View Mayborn Museum’s newest exhibit, Cultural Crossroads, featuring stories and artwork depicting the history of Juneteenth and historical Waco parades. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Cultural Crossroads is included with museum admission.
Juneteenth Celebration at The Baylor Club
The Baylor Club at McLane Stadium will host its annual Juneteenth Celebration from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Baylor Club, 1001 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Waco. The event features a Southern-style buffet, live entertainment and community networking, with tickets for the event starting at $22. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Eventbrite webpage.
Additional Juneteenth Resources
Baylor University’s Institute for Oral History has created the Waco History app, a resource for people to experience Waco’s Black history through interactive maps, photos and oral histories. Waco History is a joint product of Baylor University Libraries’ Institute for Oral History and The Texas Collection.
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Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu