Photo by NoHo Damon via Flickr
In Los Angeles, MLK Day is all about the parades.
The 33rd Annual Kingdom Day Parade in South LA features floats, celebrities, beauty queens, bands, and our favorite – drill teams. The parade annually draws over 250,000 spectators each year. The parade starts at 10am on MLK and Western, and travels west on MLK to Crenshaw, then south on Crenshaw to Vernon. After the parade, there will be a festival at Leimert Park until 5pm with live music and lots of food. The theme this year is, “When They Go Low, We Go High.” U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California is the 2018 Grand Marshal. The parade will be aired from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on ABC Channel 7.
The 30th annual Martin Luther King, Jr Peace & Unity Parade and Celebration in Long Beach starts 10:30 am with the beginning of the parade at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr Avenue and Anaheim Street. The parade will continue through the city, ending at Martin Luther King Jr. Park where you can celebrate with food, games, and carnival rides.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at the California African American Museum in Exposition Park takes place from 10 AM until 4 PM. A variety of interactive art installations, crafts, MLK’s inspiring speeches and sermons make this annual event a huge draw for kids and adults alike. There will also be food and entertainment.
If you would like to make this day a day “on” instead of a day “off,” you can find volunteer opportunities at All for Good and LA Works
