FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Northern Kentucky Juneteenth Committee Celebrates the Tremendous Success of the 2026 Juneteenth Celebrations
COVINGTON & ELSMERE, KENTUCKY — The Northern Kentucky Juneteenth Committee extends its deepest gratitude to every sponsor, volunteer, vendor, community partner, elected official, church, and attendee who helped make the 2026 Northern Kentucky Juneteenth Celebrations in Covington and Elsmere one of the largest and most successful celebrations in our region’s history.
This year’s celebrations were a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when a community comes together with one purpose—to honor our history, celebrate our progress, and inspire future generations. Because of the overwhelming support we received, hundreds of families and community citizens enjoyed a weekend filled with education, entertainment, youth activities, fellowship, community resources, and the celebration of freedom.
The Northern Kentucky Juneteenth Committee extends its heartfelt appreciation to our corporate sponsors, community sponsors, and table sponsors whose generosity made these celebrations possible.
2026 Sponsors (Listed Alphabetically)
* Alpine Water
* Amazon
* Around the Clock Daycare
* Behavioral Wealth and Finance
* Better Health and Wellness
* Charities Guild of Northern Kentucky
* City of Covington
* City of Elsmere
* Corporex
* Covington Independent Public Schools
* Covington Public Schools
* Kroger
* Meijer
* Mercedes-Benz of Fort Mitchell
* Michael Moore and Family
* Mike’s Car Wash
* Partners for Change
* Rumpke
* Sam’s Club
* Smoke Justice
* St. Elizabeth Healthcare
* The Baking Baker
A special thank you goes to Partners for Change for generously providing 100 Juneteenth T-shirts for our youth. Your generosity helped make this year’s Kids Fest an unforgettable experience for children throughout Northern Kentucky.
We also extend our sincere appreciation to the Charities Guild of Northern Kentucky for sponsoring the Basil Lewis Sneaker Giveaway, providing new sneakers to youth throughout our community.
A heartfelt thank you goes to Denise Dandridge for coordinating and organizing such an outstanding sneaker giveaway. Your leadership, dedication, and commitment to our youth helped make this one of the highlights of this year’s celebration.
We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to Carol Jackson for organizing an exceptional Kids Fest. Your vision, planning, and dedication created a fun-filled experience that brought smiles, laughter, and unforgettable memories to hundreds of children and their families. Thank you for investing in the next generation.
The Northern Kentucky Juneteenth Committee also extends a special thank you to Mayor Ron Washington of the City of Covington and Mayor Marty Lenhof of the City of Elsmere for their continued leadership, encouragement, and unwavering support of the Northern Kentucky Juneteenth celebrations.
We gratefully acknowledge First Baptist Church Elsmere, Reverend Norman D. Blankenship and Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, Reverend Julian Cook, and all of the churches that united in support of the Elsmere Juneteenth Celebration. Your partnership, prayers, and fellowship exemplify the unity that Juneteenth represents.
A special thank you is also extended to Reverend Michael Jackson of 9th Street Missionary Baptist Church for delivering a powerful and inspiring message during this year’s Black Excellence Awards Program.
To every volunteer, committee member, food vendor, merchandise vendor, community organization, entertainer, speaker, and participant—thank you. Your dedication, generosity, and countless hours of service transformed this vision into an extraordinary celebration. This event would not have been possible without each of you.
From Founder and Visionary Phyllis Tyler:
“Juneteenth has never been about one person. It has always been about a community coming together to honor our past, celebrate our present, and build a brighter future. Every sponsor, volunteer, church, vendor, organization, elected official, and family played an important role in making this celebration a tremendous success. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for believing in this vision and walking this journey with us.”
Richard Tyler and the entire Northern Kentucky Juneteenth Committee proudly join in expressing their sincere appreciation to everyone who supported this historic celebration.
Together, we proudly lived this year’s theme:
“Remembering the Past. Rising to the Future.”
We look forward to continuing this tradition of unity, education, service, and celebration as we prepare for an even greater Northern Kentucky Juneteenth Celebration in 2027.
