Charlotte-area MLK Day events

We’ve highlighted several events happening in the Charlotte area that will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Please use the links provided to check for last-minute updates before you go.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade — The MLK Holiday Parade will be held in Uptown Charlotte from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday. More than 100 community organizations, marching bands and step and drill teams are expected to participate. The parade will march down Tryon Street, beginning at Ninth Street and ending at Brooklyn Village Avenue. Link

MLK Dream Day Parade and Community Event — The MLK Dream Day Parade will be held in Kannapolis on Saturday. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. and march the length of the Kannapolis Loop and end at City Hall. Following the parade, there will be a community event at the Laureate Center from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Link

Let Freedom Ring: A Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — Theatre Charlotte will present a special performance on Saturday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. There will be spoken word, dramatizations, music and dance. Admission is free. Link

United Way MLK Jr. Call to Service — On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers are needed at Northside Baptist Church to help assemble snack packs for students attending tutoring and after-school programs supported by United Way. Registration is required. Other in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities are available as well. Link

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Sunday, Jan. 14

Bridging Musical Worlds — This performance will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and feature the Charlotte Strings Collective, UNC Charlotte Music Department, Charlotte Folk Society, Tosco Music and the A Sign of the Times Band. Tickets cost $10. Link

Art / Poetry / Music — Opera Carolina will present a collaborative concert at Caldwell Presbyterian Church at 4 p.m. that fuses music, spoken word and visual art with selected readings from Dr. King’s iconic speeches. Admission is free. Link

Monday, Jan. 15

Atrium Health Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Service — This event will include a wreath-laying ceremony and will take place from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday at Marshall Park at 800 East Third Street. Link

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at the Gantt — The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture will host a community celebration with a full day of programs and activities for all ages on Monday. There will be dance performances, live music, interactive workshops, guided tours, and other activities. Admission is free. Link

Town of Davidson Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration — This year’s event will include musical performances and spoken word with the theme, “It Starts with Me - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — Actualizing the Dream.” Music will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the auditorium at 251 South Street with the official program starting promptly at 10 a.m. Link

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service — Join Keep Charlotte Beautiful, the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association and fellow volunteers in cleaning up litter along Tryon Street on Monday. There will be four cleanups occurring simultaneously along sections of Tryon Street. Anyone interested can sign up online to volunteer at the cleanup of their choosing. Link

VIDEO: Here’s what’s happening in Charlotte Jan. 12-14