On Saturday, June 21, 2025, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (MTCC), a museum within the Division of Arkansas Heritage, will host the 16th annual Juneteenth in Da Rock festival to commemorate freedom and community in the heart of Arkansas.

This year’s celebration includes the 4th annual Juneteenth in Da Rock 5K walk/run. From 7 – 9 a.m., participants will run past and through some of Little Rock’s most historic African American landmarks, including Arkansas Baptist College, Philander Smith University, and Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. Don’t miss this vibrant, memorable route celebrating our shared history and community spirit. You can register for the race by visiting HERE.

MTCC will also host a family-friendly street festival, Juneteenth in Da Rock, throughout the day on historic West 9th Street in Downtown Little Rock. The festival will feature live music from Grammy winners Elle Varner and October London. Local musical artists include Akeem Kemp, Afrodesia, Big John Miller Band, Bijoux, G-Pace, King Honey, Malik Oliver, and Nicky Parrish.

There will be local vendors, food trucks, and activities designed to highlight the rich history and significance of Juneteenth. An expanded Kids Zone will feature fun-filled activities for children of all ages, bounce and play inflatables, arts and crafts, face painting, and a magical photo opportunity with animated characters.

Additionally, MTCC will have the Health and Wellness Village in the museum ballroom featuring local health and wellness vendors, mental health professionals, and other organizations offering health resources who will provide information about nutrition, preventative care, and overall wellness. Guests will be able to take part in live demonstrations about fitness, mindfulness, and holistic practices.

Juneteenth celebrates the oldest nationally recognized commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, U.S. Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, announcing to the enslaved people that President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation two and a half years earlier and that they were now free. That pivotal moment sparked annual celebrations of liberation and resilience, which continue today.

Arkansans from across the state are invited to attend. Attendees are asked to register online for free at: www.juneteenthlittlerock.com. Vendor booth registrations, volunteer sign-ups and additional festival details can be found at www.juneteenthlittlerock.com.

About Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, a museum of Arkansas Heritage, is dedicated to preserving, interpreting and celebrating African American history and culture in Arkansas. Arkansas Heritage is a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. You can reach the museum at 501-683-3593. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is located at 501 W. Ninth St., Little Rock.

About Arkansas Heritage
Arkansas Heritage was created in 1975 and is a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. There are eight agencies with unique heritage focuses under the umbrella of this division: Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Historic Arkansas Museum and the Arkansas State Archives.

About Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism
The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism protects and promotes our state’s natural, cultural and historic assets, contributing to a thriving economy and high quality of life. It is made up of three divisions: Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Heritage and Arkansas Tourism.

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