The 49th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade kicks off at 11 a.m. Monday in Miami, along NW 54th Street. This year's theme: “Mentoring the Dream!”
It aims to honor Dr. King’s legacy and civil rights activism by focusing on the empowerment of the next generation. The procession will feature a display of high school marching bands, community groups, civic leaders, and local organizations.
Celebrated on the third Monday of January — close to King’s Jan. 15 birthday — federal, state and local governments, institutions and various industries recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Following the parade, the celebration will continue into the afternoon with a family-friendly festival at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, featuring live music, cultural performances, and food vendors.
Traffic and street closures
To accommodate Monday's festivities, the City of Miami Police Department has announced several street closures along the route. Residents and visitors are advised of the following:
- Primary Closure: NW 54th Street will be closed from NW 6th Court to NW 19th Avenue.
- Detours: Motorists can use NW 53rd Street to travel on the north side of the closure and NW 55th Street to travel on the south side.
- Timeline: Closures begin at 7:30 a.m., though NW 12th Avenue and NW 17th Avenue will remain open to north and southbound traffic until 9:00 a.m. * Full Lock: The entire route will be closed to all vehicular traffic at 9:00 a.m. sharp.
Authorities are encouraging attendees and those traveling in the vicinity to use public transportation or ride-sharing services to minimize congestion.
City of Miami Police officers will be stationed along the parade route to assist with traffic flow and public safety.
The streets are scheduled to begin re-opening in phases starting at 2 p.m., with the entire route expected to return to normal traffic patterns by approximately 5 p.m.
