ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida residents can prepare for another year's festivities to honor civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. No matter how you plan on celebrating, there are plenty of activities for families to enjoy across the area. Check out our event guide below:

Orange County

  • 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Forum
    Jan. 11, 7 p.m. | FAMU College of Law
    The Orlando Alumni Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity is presenting this moderated, interactive event with key leaders of the Orlando community to discuss this year’s theme of "Advancing the Dream: Navigating Education Equity in Today’s Landscape.”  

  • 37th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Luncheon
    Jan. 12, 11 a.m. | First Baptist Orlando
     The keynote speaker will be Alpha Phi Alpha Brother Dr. Gerald Jones. At the event, students, community leaders and organizations will be recognized for their contributions with the prestigious Drum Major Award in areas of Scholastic Achievement, Civic Affairs, Social Justice, Community Service and Business. 

  • Downtown Orlando Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
    Jan. 13, 10 a.m. | Downtown Orlando
    The theme of this year's annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade is "It Starts with Me: Shifting the Cultural Climate Through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence." The parade route starts at the courthouse in downtown and weaves around to Lake Eola Park.

  • Town of Eatonville's Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration
    Jan. 13, 2 p.m. | Kennedy Boulevard
    Culture, Peace & Awareness is the theme for this year's parade, which will travel east on Kennedy Boulevard from Keller Road to West Avenue through the heart of Eatonville.

  • 22nd Annual Unity Heritage Festival
    Jan. 14, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. and Jan. 15, 9:15 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Hannibal Square and Shady Park
    The festival begins Sunday in Shady Park, and activities will include children’s games, career booths, food and retail vendors and job training/health literacy information provided by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Nu Iota Omega Chapter. Sunday's entertainment features various gospel artists and mime and praise dance performances. At 9:15 a.m. Monday, a groundbreaking will be held for Unity Corner, located on the northeast corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Park at Denning Drive and Morse Boulevard. Unity Corner will be the future home of the “Ripple,” a larger than life-size, bronze statue of King that is named to represent the way that King's civil rights work emanated out across the country, just as a single drop of water creates a ripple. At 10 a.m. Monday at Shady Park, festivities will continue and include an official program at 11 a.m.,  children's activities, food and retail vendors, career booths, job training/health literacy assistance, Zoo Mom Science, and blues and jazz bands featuring Jabari Clay and various artists.

  • Chasing the Dream 5k: MLK Day Celebration
    Jan. 15, 6:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.| Downtown Orlando
    Join Central Florida's only MLK Day Race! The race is "an opportunity to support equality, unite the Orlando community, and celebrate the life of a great man, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.."

  • Arthur “Pappy” Kennedy 33rd Annual Prayer Breakfast
    Jan. 15, 7:45 a.m. | First Baptist Orlando
    The breakfast will commemorate the legacies of civil rights pioneers Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Arthur “Pappy” Kennedy, Orlando’s first African American City Council Member. This year’s guest speaker will be former Congresswoman Val Demings. The breakfast traditionally brings together more than 1,000 civic leaders, pastors and Central Florida neighbors in faith, prayer and the shared commitment to strengthen the community and improve quality of life. 

  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission’s Great Day of Service
    Jan. 15, 9 a.m. | Orange County Convention Center, West Concourse D
    U.S. Hunger, in collaboration with the Orlando Mayor’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission and the Orange County MLK Initiative, will pack and distribute 1 million healthy meals of food relief throughout the Central Florida region during volunteer event for 5,000 Central Florida volunteers. To volunteer, click on the link in the listing item. 

  • Seedlings for Civil Rights
    Jan. 15, 9 a.m. | Gilbert McQueen Park
    The City of Orlando’s Green Up initiative will work with volunteers to beautify the Lake Mann Homes neighborhood by planting trees, mulching and removing litter in surrounding parks and other areas. Snacks, water and all needed supplies will be provided to volunteers, but closed-toed shoes are required. To volunteer, click this link.

  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Parade and Celebration
    Jan. 15, 10 a.m. | Clarke Road in Ocoee
    The parade begins at Citrus Elementary School, 87 North Clarke Road and ends at the parking lot of the West Oaks Mall on Clarke Road. The public is invited to attend a post-parade celebration that will take place inside the West Oaks Mall food court at 11 a.m. Bishop Derrick L. McRae, Senior Pastor of The Experience Christian Center, will be the keynote speaker at the post-parade celebration. The program will include presentation of the colors by the Ocoee High School JROTC; Ocoee resident Sherrí Gladney will sing the National Anthem, and Innovation Montessori Ocoee’s Show Choir will perform; and sixth-grader Olivia Guinn, winner of last year’s City of Ocoee Black History Month Essay Contest, will recite her award-winning essay titled “Remembering the Victims of the Ocoee Massacre.”

  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration 2024
    Jan. 15, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Downtown Pavilion
    The city of Winter Garden event kicks off with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Parade in historic downtown. The parade travels along West Plant Street (from Woodland Street to Central Avenue). At about 11:30 a.m., the festivities continue at the Downtown Pavilion with a live music concert featuring Phoenix 5 and Selwyn Birchwood and children’s activities such as a gaming truck, a rock-climbing wall, face painting and a crafts station. The parade travels along West Plant Street (from Woodland Street to Central Avenue). Food and refreshments will be available for purchase from vendors and downtown eateries.

  • City of Apopka's 15th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
    Jan. 15, 2 p.m. | South Central Avenue
    The theme of this year's parade is "Remembering the Dreamer." It begins at 519 South Central Ave. and ends at the John H. Bridges Community Center.

  • Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Vigil
    Jan. 15, 6 p.m. | Tiedtke Concert Hall at Rollins College
    The theme of the evening will draw from the Martin Luther King Jr. quote,"True peace is not the absence of tension, but the presence of justice." The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, the director of the Center for the Study of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the principal investigator at The Belonging Lab at Virginia Union University. Students from Rollins’ theater and dance department will perform, and a spoken word piece will be delivered by Blu Bailey, founder of the Write.

  • MLK Night at an Orlando Magic game
    Jan. 19, 7 p.m. | Kia Center
    Mayor Buddy Dyer’s MLK Youth Humanitarians will be recognized at the Orlando Magic game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

  • City of Orlando MLK Gospel Concert
    Feb. 2, 7 p.m. | Steinmetz Hall, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
    The concert is produced and directed by Grammy Award winner Dr. Jeffrey Redding to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Admission is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations for United Against Poverty, which will be distributed to various local community and school food pantries. Special guests include Naguaanda Miller-Nobles Soprano, Benjamin Polite Bass and Shawn Welcome, the City of Orlando’s Poet Laureate. This year's theme is "Through the storm, I need You to survive.”

Brevard County

Lake County

Marion County

Osceola County

Seminole County

  • 37th Annual Celebration and Memorial Observance
    Jan. 12 - 15, various times | Various locations
    The theme of this year's events in Sanford is "Rise Up: Celebrating the Next Generation of Leaders." 
    • Oratorical Poster and Scholarship Contests
      Jan. 12, 6 p.m. | Seminole State College
      Seminole County high school seniors who plan to attend a college or university are urged to compete in an Oratorical Contest to receive scholarship funds. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee will offer a scholarship to the first-, second-, and third-place winners. If one of these winners attends Seminole State College, they will be awarded a $3,000 scholarship. If the first-, second-, or third-place winner does not want to attend Seminole State College, the scholarship will be offered to the next contestant. The poster contest is open to elementary school children.
    • Commemorative Banquet
      Jan. 13, 6 p.m. | Sanford Civic Center
      This event is sold out.
    • Interfaith Service
      Jan. 14, 3 p.m. | New Life Word Center
      The speaker is Pastor Robert T. Bradley, Sr. of Bread of Life Christian Church.
    • Annual MLK Parade
      Jan. 15, 10 a.m. | Intersection of Goldsboro Boulevard and Persimmon Avenue
      From the starting point, the parade will proceed east on Holly Avenue. It will include decorative floats, vehicles, walkers, bands, singing groups and dance groups representing what the day means — brotherhood/sisterhood, brotherly/sisterly love, nonviolence and service to mankind.
    • Festival in the Park and Got Talent Contest
      Jan. 15, 11 a.m. | Sanford Civic Center
      The festival will feature live music and children's activities. Food and merchandise will be available to purchase. The talent contest for three age divisions starts at 2:30 p.m. and continues until 4 p.m. The age groups are juniors (6-12), teens (13-17) and adults (ages 18 and up).

Volusia County