Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Events in Washington, DC

Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday is a day of honor and commemorative events at a variety of sites in Washington, DC. Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday is January 15th and is celebrated each year on the third Monday in January. In 1994, to further commemorate a man who lived his life in service to others, Congress transformed the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday into a national day of community service. Here is a schedule of special events to honor this civil rights leader and to give local residents the opportunity to reach out to help those in need.

Martin Luther King Memorial
This weekend is a great time to visit the Memorial. National Park Service Rangers discuss King's role in the Civil Rights movement daily. On January 20, 2013, at 12 p.m. the National Park Service will host a wreathlaying service in observance of the birthday-anniversary for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2013 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
January 19, 2013. Major service events will take place across the country. Join a community service organization or create your own event to serve the DC community and make a difference.

Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
January 19, 2013, 11 a.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE and Milwaukee Place SE, Washington DC. The Anacostia parade/peacewalk includes the Ballou Marching Band and representatives from the area's Asian, Bolivian, Jamaican and African American communities.

"Let Freedom Ring"
January 20, 2013, 6 p.m. at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Kennedy Center and Georgetown University host a musical celebration featuring Smokey Robinson and the Let Freedom Ring Choir honoring Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy in a free Millennium Stage concert. Tickets are required and will be distributed the day of the event in front of the Concert Hall beginning at 4 p.m.

Lincoln Memorial
January 18, 2013, 1:00 p.m. 23rd and Independence Ave., NW, Washington, DC. The National Park Service will place a wreath at the Lincoln Memorial, on the steps where Dr. King gave his 1963 speech. The recitation of the “I Have a Dream” speech will be presented by students of Washington, DC’s Watkins Elementary School.

The Tribute and Musical Celebration – “HIS dream.iAct.WE change
January 20, 2013, 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD. The event will feature musical and dance acts, and the 2013 recipients of the Children of the Dream, Humanitarian and Literary Arts Awards will be announced. The annual celebration is free and open to the public. Tickets are required.

Arlington's Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute
January 20, 2013, 7-9 p.m. Washington-Lee High School, 1301 N. Stafford Street, Arlington, VA. The event will feature a keynote address by American Book Award-winner and scholar Michael Eric Dyson and a performance by Grammy nominated Progressive Hip-Hop artist and multi-instrumentalist Christylez Bacon.

“King: A Filmed Record…Montgomery to Memphis”
American Film Institute Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD. January 21, 2013, 2:00 p.m. The film is a riveting compilation of documentary footage of Dr. King, from the Montgomery bus boycott to the “I Have A Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial. The film also features narration from notable commentators that appear in the film include Sidney Poitier, James Earl Jones, and Ruby Dee. Tickets are available on Martin Luther King Day at the box office with a limit of 4 per person.

"Living the Dream…Singing the Dream”
February 10, 2013 at 7 p.m. John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Choral Arts Society of Washington and the Washington Performing Arts Society Men, Women, and Children of the Gospel Choirs join together to present the choral tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. The program includes a diverse selection of works, including classical music, gospel hymns and moving spirituals.