martin-luther-king-3-web.jpgMIAMI – On Monday, Jan 20 – the official Martin Luther King Jr. holiday –from 11a.m.-6p.m., The MLK Parade and Festivities Committee of Miami Inc., in cooperation with Miami-Dade County, and the City of Miami, will celebrate the birthday and legacy of King.

The Dr. Preston W. Marshall Jr. Foundation’s 37th Annual Miami Liberty, Unity, Diversity, Sustainability, Justice, Equality, Jobs, & Citizenship parade will follow at Northwest 54th Street and 10th Avenue to 32nd Avenue.

The Miami MLK Parade is the largest and oldest MLK celebration in the United States, with a record 300,000 people in attendance, according to organizers. The parade lasts about 2.5 hours, and travels over eight miles where King traveled on many occasions for his engagements in Miami.

Expected to participate are more than 150 floats carrying businesses,  federal, state and local elected officials, police and fire leaders,  Miami-Dade cities, local high schools, colleges and universities and a salute from the Caribbean community and many others.

The holiday offers other activities, which include:

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Run and Fitness Walk 

The 31st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Day Run and Fitness Walk, start time at 8 a.m., at the MLK Metrorail Station at 62 Street NW 27Avenue, presented by the Progressive Officers Club of Miami-Dade County.

Community Powerfest 

The Community Powerfest will be from noon – 6 p.m., at the Dr. MLK Jr. Memorial Park, 3200 NW 62nd St., in cooperation with Miami Dade Parks and Recreation Department. The festival will include music and food, a farmer’s market, a health care fair and other social agencies and a fashion show.

The Community Powerfest is about empowering everyday people to transform the communities, and create new paths out of poverty through music, art, and community information and citizenship education, according to organizers.

It is hoped that the festival will inspire action, and connect people to the issues that impact their daily lives, many of which are defined in the Civil Rights Act that began in 1964-1969.