Helping to paint a school at the annual Day of Service, participating in a food drive to support a local organization, and showing your neighbors that you care in a variety of meaningful ways: Countless people have long observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in a philanthropic, kind-hearted, and truly inspirational spirit.
The heartfelt wish to help others is taking on a new urgency in 2025 in Southern California: The annual holiday that commemorates the life and legacy of the civil rights icon is occurring just 13 days after the Los Angeles fires began.
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WATCH HEREA number of happenings set to take place Jan. 20 have been postponed due to the fires, with rescheduled dates coming up in just a matter of weeks.
Big Sunday's 13th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Clothing Drive & Community Breakfast will take still take place Jan. 20; look for the sizable give-back event to put the focus on serving fire evacuees and neighborhoods that have lost so much.
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SIGN UP If you'd like to pitch in, the give-back gathering will take place at Cienega Elementary School at 2611 S. Orange Drive from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 20.
The MLK 2025 Volunteer Festival from LA Works at LA Memorial Coliseum will take place Jan. 20. There are still late-entry tickets left to join the event as of Jan. 18; check out the free happenings at the sizable commemoration, which includes music, special speakers, and a Family Zone for the youngsters.
If you can't attend or don't have a ticket, there are ways to donate; find them here.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
The 2025 Kingdom Day Parade has been rescheduled. If you'd like to attend the 40th annual parade, the "World's Largest & Longest Life Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King," be sure to circle Monday, Feb. 17, Presidents Day, on your calendar.
The California African American Museum has also rescheduled its observance of the holiday to Feb. 17 but the Exposition Park museum will be open Jan. 20.
"We welcome our community who would like to gather to enjoy the galleries in the spirit of reflection and togetherness," reads a statement on the museum's site.
AmeriCorps and other organizations will observe a Day of Service; find how you and where you can participate Jan. 20, or ways to support the projects that thousands of volunteers will wholeheartedly work on in honor of Dr. King's memory.
Habitat LA will hold an MLK Day Donation Drive-Thru to help those impacted by the fires. The hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the address is 8739 Artesia Boulevard in Bellflower, and you can read more about the drive, and what's needed, here.
And Jan. 20 is the first free day at the national parks in 2025 (there are six in all).
Fee-charging parks like Yosemite will waive admission in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day; find out what your favorite park has planned in honor of the important occasion.
