Skip to main content
Run Vibes
Browse races

Opal's Walk for Freedom

Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT

Location
Cincinnati, OH
50 East Freedom Way, 45202
Featured distance
2 Miles
Type
WALK
Official registration

Sign up and verify details on the organizer’s official page.

At a glance

A powerful Juneteenth observance led by Dr. Opal Lee, honoring freedom and reflecting on history with a symbolic 2.5-mile walk.

  • For a Cause

Join the National Opal’s Walk for Freedom in Cincinnati, a significant Juneteenth observance honoring the end of slavery and the ongoing pursuit of inclusive freedom. Led by Dr. Opal Lee, the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," this event invites participants to walk 2.5 miles simultaneously with other host cities. The distance symbolizes the 2.5 years between the Emancipation Proclamation and the news reaching enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas. It's an opportunity to reflect, remember, and celebrate freedom together, supported by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

What to expect

  • Participate in a symbolic 2.5-mile walk, mirroring the time it took for freedom news to spread.
  • Join a nationwide observance, walking simultaneously with other cities.
  • Engage in a meaningful experience to reflect, remember, and celebrate freedom.

Standout details

  • Led by Dr. Opal Lee, "Grandmother of Juneteenth"
  • Symbolic 2.5-mile walk for freedom
  • National observance hosted in Cincinnati
  • Supported by National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Auto-drafted from the public listing — confirm details on the official event page before signing up.

Vibe Check

Easygoing

warm-day exposure

  • Warm season

Based on terrain, weather, and distance data.

The course

  • Hilly
  • Walk-focused
From the organizer

Cincinnati is proud to be one of the select few cities to host the 2026 National Opal’s Walk for Freedom, a Juneteenth observance honoring the end of slavery in the United States and the ongoing pursuit of inclusive freedom.

Opal’s Walk for Freedom, organized by the Texas-based non-profit Unity Unlimited, Inc., is led by Dr. Opal Lee, widely known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” On June 19, participants in host cities across the country will walk 2.5 miles simultaneously, symbolizing the approximately 2.5 years between the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the day enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free in 1865.

The walk is supported by national and local partners, including Start 2 Finish Event Management, Detroit Choice Events, JARK 1 Entertainment, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

The Freedom Center invites the Cincinnati community and out-of-town visitors to join the walk on June 19 to reflect, remember and celebrate freedom together.

Organizations interested in becoming local sponsors of the Cincinnati Opal’s Walk for Freedom may contact philanthropy@nurfc.org.

Also in this area

Similar vibe nearby

Races nearby with a similar atmosphere.

Easier options nearby

Lower-difficulty races in the same state.

More demanding options nearby

Higher-difficulty races in the same state.