Two major parades take place in Southern California for MLK Jr. Day, including the 30th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peace and Unity Parade and Celebration in Long Beach. The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. at the corner of MLK and Atlantic Avenues. Afterwards, the celebration continues until 6 p.m. with a carnival, arts and crafts activities, food and live entertainment. Join 25,000+ attendees for one of the biggest events in the country.
There’s also the Cake for King Celebration taking place at the California African American Museum at Exposition Park from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Enjoy a variety of activities at this free event where you can be part of a massive MLK Jr. Day celebration, enjoy live performances on the patio and of course get your own piece of Dr. King’s birthday cake.
A Long Weekend of Festivities
Join the 33rd annual Kingdom Day Parade on the corner of MLK Jr. and Crenshaw Boulevard—it holds the title of largest parade of its kind in the country. Thousands flock to the event to bring awareness to the life and work of Dr. King. Here, you’ll find incredible floats and quite a few celebrities. It happens from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., and you can also catch it on television.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration at Charles W. Eliot Middle School in Altadena is always a popular event. It’s where the annual MLK Community Coalition Essay and Visual Performing Arts Contest is held. The free event showcases guest speakers, arts and crafts, music, food and more from 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., making it the perfect way to start the holiday.
