improving emancipation park

Historic Third Ward park will receive $18.5 million in improvements

One of Houston’s signature parks is getting some major upgrades. Emancipation Park will receive $18.5 million in improvements that will strengthen its status as Third Ward’s favorite community gathering spot.

Emancipation Park Conservancy announced the plans at a press conference held on Monday, October 13. Scheduled to be completed in time for the park’s annual Juneteenth celebration in 2026, plans call for the following improvements:

New stage: The park’s existing performance stage will be expanded to 5,000 square feet and upgraded with climate-controlled storage, a new audio-visual tech room, and a green room for performers.
Cultural center renovation: The park’s cultural center will be remodeled to add a gift shop, “digital story telling capabilities,” and audio-visual capabilities for those who rent the facility for private events.

“This investment in Emancipation Park is about more than expanding a space; it’s about preserving history and creating a vibrant hub for cultural expression,” Emancipation Park Conservancy board chair Ramon Manning said in a statement. “It builds on the park’s improvements in 2014 by allowing us to increase programming capacity and ensure the park remains a central gathering place for performances, celebrations, and community connection.”

The Kinder Foundation, an organization backed by Houston billionaires Nancy and Rich Kinder, is serving as lead funder for the project with contributions from the Brown Foundation and the Cullen Foundation. EPC is working to raise the remaining money necessary to complete the project.

“Kinder Foundation is proud to continue supporting Emancipation Park, a place with deep cultural and historic significance,” said Nancy Kinder. “The park’s upgrades, including the stage expansion, will ensure Emancipation Park remains a place of community and celebration for generations to come.”

During the construction, the stage, cultural center, and the lawn between the cultural center and recreation center will be closed. All of the park’s other facilities — including its playground, splash pad, and sports courts — will remain open.

Famously founded in 1872 by a group of Black community leaders on a 10-acre plot of land they purchased for $800, Emancipation Park has served as the center of Houston’s Juneteenth celebrations ever since. The new upgrades build on the success of a $34 million renovation project that transformed the park when it was completed in 2017.

“Emancipation Park is a valuable treasure for our community, and its history is an integral part of Houston's history,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire added. “The significant upgrades will ensure that it continues to play a vital role in Houston's future. I thank Nancy and Rich Kinder for their generous investment, and I appreciate the conservancy for its dedication to the stewardship of Emancipation Park. I look forward to seeing everyone enjoying the park once construction is completed.”

Courtesy of Emancipation Park Conservancy

The park's stage will be expanded and enhanced.

parks emancipation park

a new record

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo commits over $30 million to education

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cattle exhibition

Courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The money supports studies in fields such as animal husbandry.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo continues its annual tradition of breaking its own record when it comes to educational endowments. On Giving Tuesday, the organization pledged to disburse $30,353,380 in 2026 in the form of scholarships, grants, and other funding.

“This milestone moment of reaching $30 million in a single year highlights the Rodeo’s unwavering dedication to Texas youth and education,” HLSR president and CEO Chris Boleman said in a statement. “Thanks to our loyal donors, sponsors, more than 36,000 volunteers and dedicated attendees, 2026 will reach historic heights in supporting the next generation of leaders, agricultural professionals and organizations that share the Rodeo’s mission.”

This brings the total of education funding provided by the Rodeo since 1932 up to $660 million. Last year's $28 million commitment also set a new record.

One innovation this year is the establishment of the Area Go Texan Vocational Scholarship, a program that expands on the relationship with 68 Texas counties through the Area Go Texan affiliate program. One student from each county will receive $6,000 toward a degree or certificate in a vocational field at a Texas nonprofit college or university. Another $500,000 in vocational scholarships will awarded to 10 schools in 2026. Guidelines for applying can be found at this link.

In total, the Rodeo will hand out $15,126,000 in scholarships, $11,273,500 to junior exhibitors, $3,430,880 in grants, and $523,000 in graduate assistantships. Grants will be awarded to 82 Texas institutions and organizations, such as Arts for Rural Texas, BridgeYear, The Bryan Museum, Diversity in the Arts and Entertainment, Greater Houston Partnership Foundation, Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA), Space Center Houston, Texas State University Development Foundation, and University of St. Thomas at Houston.

Money for the annual endowment is raised through the annual auctions, sales of livestock and art, and through charitable donations. The goal of the endowment program is to promote study and research in agriculture, animal husbandry, and other fields that directly benefit the Rodeo.

The Rodeo is scheduled to run from March 2 – 22, 2026. More information on performers, attractions, and vendors can be found at RodeoHouston.com. Scholarship applications are open through February 2, with funds being awarded in summer 2026.

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