It’s almost Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! The annual holiday falls on Monday, Jan. 20, this year, and Austin has plenty of ways to celebrate. Here are your weekend plans:
🎂 MLK Birthday Celebration at Austin Public Library’s Central Library
The Central Library downtown, 710 West César Chávez St., is hosting a celebration on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. The Meridian World School Black Culture Choir and Elizabeth Kahura will perform, and Huston-Tillotson University’s Politics Lab of the James L. Farmer House will host a panel discussion. The event is free to attend.
🎊 Austin MLK Community March, Festival, and Food Drive
Austin’s MLK Day march will start at 9:30 a.m. on Monday on the south steps of the Texas Capitol with a rally. Marchers will then head east on 11th Street from the Capitol, ending at Huston-Tillotson University. There, enjoy a family-friendly festival with live music and vendors. If you plan on attending the march or festival, bring canned goods or non-perishable items to donate to the Central Texas Food Bank.
🫶 MLK Day Donation Drive at Pease Park
Pease Park Conservancy volunteers will be out at Pease Park, 1100 Kingsbury St., between noon and 5 p.m. on Monday collecting canned food donations for a local food bank, and diapers and period products for Austin Diaper Bank. Look for volunteers at the park’s picnic tables.
🗣️ How are you planning on celebrating Dr. King?
