A celebration of Black entrepreneurship and culture

Comer Cox Park was transformed into a celebration of Black joy, Black entrepreneurship and Black culture on Saturday, Sept. 20. The 2026 Springfield Black Expo, sponsored by Solid Ground Solutions in partnership with Juneteenth Inc., hosted a variety of vendors and Black-owned businesses ranging from artists to jewelers, bakers, local boutiques and more.

The event made its debut in 2023 when William Bishop IV, president and CEO of Solid Ground Solutions, gave Springfield’s Black entrepreneurs a platform and place to converge.

“He always tries to support others and uplift them,” said Brittany Barnes, the owner of Our Cookies 2 Go bakery, which had a table at the event. “Having that togetherness, no matter what people are selling. It could be the same stuff, but just encouraging each other is what it’s about.”

Moreover, Saturday was a day to uplift Black businesses and propel economic growth in Springfield’s Black community, a day where culture and community intersected harmoniously. Barnes said even if people can’t support the businesses monetarily, it’s important to have conversations, be in community and encourage one another.

“This is what we do on a daily basis. Not only uplift businesses, but also add businesses to our community,” said Springfield’s Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory. “You see some of the vendors are gone, because they sold out. So, that’s how we measure it. Just seeing how many people come out and just enjoy themselves.”

There were many children present enjoying the event, including some who played in the basketball tournament and some on dance teams which performed on the courts. Many of the first children to arrive were eager to participate in a raffle that included a chance to win shoes and sweatshirts.

“Through our Community Connections grant, we were able to find funding to purchase shoes and sweatshirts from Scheels – another partner of ours,” said assistant chief of police Ryan Leach. “Through that, we were able to get about 50 different sets of shoes and sweatshirts.”

Leach said it was a great way to give back to the community and for representatives of Springfield Police Department to get out and have good conversations. He said Bishop, one of many community members whom SPD tries to be in relationship with, had suggested the police department come out to engage with the community.

With back to school gear for youth, vendors selling out and Black joy ascending as the theme of the day, the 2026 Springfield Black Expo appeared to be an event moving Springfield’s Black community forward while putting economic growth and community at the forefront.