
What to Know
- The Kingdom Day Parade will take place on Jan. 16, beginning at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Arlington Avenue
- CAAM will hold an in-person King Day 2023 on Jan. 16, with music, stories, and more
- You can join Big Sunday's clothing drive on Jan. 16; Long Beach's Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Celebration takes place on Jan. 14
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Honor the memory of the iconic civil rights leader at parades, celebrations, and volunteer events throughout Southern California this weekend. The Kingdom Day Parade will take place on Jan. 16 (it starts at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Arlington), while Big Sunday will hold a clothing drive on Jan. 16. Long Beach will celebrate on Jan. 14 with the 35th Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Celebration. And you can join the California African American Museum to pay tribute on King Day 2023, a Jan. 16 celebration that will include stories and a concert. King Day is a "rain or shine" event and begins at 10 o'clock.
Asian Lunar New Year Free Family Festival: Welcome the Year of the Rabbit at this four-hour festivity, which will dance through the Key Courtyard at the Bowers Museum on Jan. 15. A traditional lion dance presented by the JC Culture Foundation opens the program, with more dancing, craft-making, and joyful to-dos to follow. As for the chance to decorate a paper lantern? That's on the schedule. It's free to join, while museum admission is an additional fee.
"The Circus" opens: An hour spent at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Highland Park can always feel a bit like visiting the circus; spritely tunes, colorful costumes, and uproarious high jinks give each production that razzmatazz-y flavor. But a whole show inspired by the traditions of the big top will frolic over several weekends, bringing an especially sweet air to the first days of the new year.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Renal Support Network's Annual Teen Prom: This awesome celebration will mark its quarter-century birthday in 2024, which means that many young people have attended over the years. The reason behind this particular prom, which isn't tied to a single school? To give teens and young adults with chronic kidney disease the chance to enjoy the party, if they had to miss their own due to hospital stays or treatments. It's happening at Giggle Night Club on Jan. 15 and supporters can donate here.
"Winter Wonderland" opens: The yuletide-themed festivities have come to a Christmassy close at SkyPark at Santa's Village, but a wintry revelry is beginning this weekend. Cute characters will still be around, of course — you may spy Jack Frost at the Lake Arrowhead-close attraction — and cold-weather fun will abound (think ice skating and the sipping of hot cocoa). Do secure your ticket in advance and watch the weather, in case heavy rains (briefly) interrupt the frosty fun.