5 Things To Do On Martin Luther King Jr. Day

 

Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial

Your first stop should probably be the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial adjacent to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial on the National Mall.
It’s free and opens all day every day (and has been for more than 30 years). MLK Day weekend is a great time to visit the famous memorial because
National Park Service rangers will be on-site daily discussing King’s role in the civil rights movement.

 

Take part in the Peace Walk and Parade

On January 20, 2020, starting at 11 a.m., the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade returns to the man’s namesake avenue and Milwaukee Place for its annual Peace Walk event.
The parade, which was established by D.C. City Council in 1968 to promote the legacy of Dr. King, features the Ballou Marching Band and representatives from the area’s
Asian, Bolivian, Jamaican, and African American communities. This hour-long celebration also features a variety of musical performances, dancers, and various civil rights organizations
still fighting for equal rights today. You can register to join the parade or simply watch from the sidelines.

 

Hear Poetry and Music at the National Cathedral

For a taste of local culture, head to the Washington National Cathedral for its annual MLK Day service at 2 p.m.
There will be poetry readings and musical performances by the cathedral and D.C.’s performing arts community.

This celebration honors Dr. King through a variety of special presentations, and following the service, the cathedral will host a commemorative pilgrimage called
“Rosa and Martin, Martin and Rosa” that explores the relationship between Dr. King and fellow civil rights icon Rosa Parks.

 

Visit National Gallery of Art

One of the country’s largest museums, the National Gallery houses over 124,000 pieces dating from the Middle Ages to present day.
View works by renowned artists such as Raphael, da Vinci, van Gogh, and Picasso, and enjoy the sculpture garden created by architect leoh Ming Pei.

 

My Fair Lady at the Kennedy Center

From Lincoln Center Theater comes “a sumptuous new production of the most perfect musical of all time” (Entertainment Weekly), Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady.