Juneteenth fest at 18th & Vine celebrates African American culture
Kansas City’s 18th and Vine District bustled with upbeat music, the smell of barbecue and chatter as people took to the streets celebrating African American culture Saturday afternoon.
Booths filled with colorful art and handmade crafts lined the streets as the powerful voices of a gospel choir led the day’s main stage events.
Juneteenth KC celebrated its 14th annual Heritage Festival on Saturday in honor of Juneteenth—commemorating the day in 1865 when the last enslaved African Americans in the U.S. learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
Throughout the day, dance groups, youth marching bands and other entertainment kept energy high and drew large crowds.
Attendees said the annual event marks an important time to pause and celebrate what makes people unique, and what brings them together.
Selling her acrylic and canvas art, at the corner of Vine Street and East 17th Terrace, was Juilanna Franklin, 27. Her tables were lined with painted portraits of Patrick Mahomes, The Joker, and Black Jesus.
Despite the mid-90s heat and high humidity, Franklin said she was encouraged to see a large turnout in the early afternoon.
“Everybody that’s out here is not only giving people a piece of their passion, but also a piece of their history as well,” Franklin said.
Throughout the festival, dozens of vendors served food from the barbecue to sweet treats.
T-shirts with the word “Juneteenth” on them were at several tables Saturday.
Wearing his own Juneteenth shirt was 14-year-old Eden Ashiofu, who is involved in Kingdom Kids Can Create.
Through the organization, he runs his own business selling handmade bow ties. He conversed with several festival attendees Saturday, honing his skills as an entrepreneur alongside a handful of other kids doing the same.
They all have their own unique design,” Eden said of the bow ties. “This is my fifth Juneteenth event and I’m getting comfortable with selling here.”
Set up closer to the main stage Saturday afternoon along The Paseo, was the Wells Grown Plants and Pots booth.
Charla Ford, 45, said she created the business to help make plants more approachable and accessible to people who might not ordinarily buy one. With the help of her business partners Konnie Wells, 29, and Song Yang, she propagates plants and sells them.
The Black-owned business also wanted to create pots with designs that showcase African American features. That task was the brainchild of Wells, who 3D prints and shapes pots into faces.
“There’s not a lot of these kinds of pots in the market for people of color,” Wells said. “You can’t really find this in a greenhouse, so being able to showcase that here is important.”
This story was originally published June 21, 2025 at 5:42 PM.
