MLK Weekend 2020, | SoCalFunFamily

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

Many, though I know not all of us, have an extended 3 day weekend, thanks to the incredible Martin Luther King Jr. To remember this great man and the legacy he left behind here are family friendly ways to honor and celebrate him this weekend in Southern California:

Check out the California African American Museum (CAAM). Located in the eastern end of Exposition Park. On Monday, Jan. 20 CAAM presents the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration, taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free, family-friendly event includes:

Family drop-in art activities King Study Group

Rock the Vote!

“Vote or Perish: Fighting for Civil Rights in an Election Year”

Keynote by Lorrie Frasure

Youth Speeches: MLK’s “Give Us the Ballot”

Inner City Youth Orchestra: music tribute to MLK and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Exposition Park is also home to the Natural History Museum, the Exposition Park Rose Garden, The L.A. Colosseum, and the California Science Center, which is home to the absolutely amazing Space Shuttle Endeavor. So, if you make it out there, you will have plenty to do and it will make for a fabulous day! (and, it’s free, besides the small fee to see the shuttle).

California Science Center in Exhibition Park is a free hands on museum the family (especially kids) will love!!!

The Kingdom Day Parade is regarded as America’s largest celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. With the theme “Equality For All Humanity, Our Next Step” the 35th edition of the parade is taking place on Monday, Jan. 20 beginning at 11 a.m. and will broadcast and live stream on ABC7.

The parade route starts at Western Avenue and runs west along Martin Luther King Boulevard, turns south on Crenshaw Boulevard, then east on Vernon Avenue before it ends at Leimert Park. The post-parade festival at Leimert Park features music, dancing, food and more.

Crenshaw High School Marching Band in the Kingdom Day Parade in Los Angeles, CA, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Kidspace Children’s Museum this Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, will celebrate with their Kindness Rocks! event on Friday-Monday, Jan. 18-20. Share stories of friendship and love on a community tapestry, decorate kindness stones to share with others, and create solutions to help others in our cities and neighborhoods. Special guest Good SamariTots will be at Kidspace with projects to help the community.

In honor of the Birthday of Martin Luther King, National Park Service sites planned free admission for everyone on Monday, January 20, 2020, as the first fee free day of the year!!! This can save you a lot of money, and is a fabulous way to spend a day!

Take advantage of the free National Park Day on MLK Day Monday, January 20th. Photo Credit: nps.gov

Free garden Admission to the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden on Monday January 20, 2020. To honor Martin Luther King all are invited to enjoy a day in the gardens.

January 18, 2020 (2 to 3:45 p.m.) Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra presents its annual Martin Luther King Weekend Concert at SGI-USA World Peace Ikeda Auditorium. Free, no reservations.

January 18, 2020 (10 a.m.) Long Beach Martin Luther King, Jr. Long Beach Parade & Celebration begins at Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue and Anaheim Street with a parade (10 a.m.), and it ends at a celebration in Martin Luther King Jr. Park (11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Free.

This is known as a day on, not off. Give kindness and service!

Plan to do a kind act or act of service. Bring a trash bag to the beach, park or on a hike and pick up trash. Then you can play afterward.

Get a group together to make hygiene/blessing bags for the homeless. We did this at a park one year where everyone in the group brought one large pack of a certain item, and we each made a couple of bags to take and donate with the items.

Pay it forward. Just be aware of others on this day and do what you can to make the world a kinder place.

More fun things happening this weekend:

Restaurant week in Newport Beach

Restaurant Week: Newport Beach: January 16 – 26, 2020. Get a special deal on a fixed-price lunch or dinner at 73 restaurants at Newport Beach Restaurant Week.

Restaurant Week: January 17 – 31, 2020. Get a special price on a 2-course lunch or a 3-course dinner at 300 restaurants during Dine L.A. You don’t need a ticket, but you may want a reservation. Repeats in July.

Whale watching: (January – March) View gray whales as they head down the coast to Baja California. Peak whale watching season is January and February along the Southern California coast. Tickets here.

Palm Springs Tram- (Year-Round) The Palm Springs Tramway takes visitors from the hot desert floor to the cool San Jacinto mountains. Take an exciting trip on the world’s largest rotating tramcars that hold up to 80 passengers. And there are great hikes and views and even a restaurant at the top.

Goat Hill Junction: (Third weekend of the month) Fairview Park free train rides. Kids and adults love riding these little trains around Fairview Park in Costa Mesa. Ride as many times as you like for free.

Hike (my top family favorites)

Parasail

And check out this fun list as well for more ideas.

Please share any other events, activities, places that celebrate Martin Luther King Day!!!!