Tallahassee gears up to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. with awards to City Leaders, parade, festival, and music

Tallahassee is ready to celebrate the birthday of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with several days of events honoring his civil rights legacy starting this week.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to the pursuit of social justice and equality. The City of Tallahassee honors his life and invites the community to celebrate his profound legacy during a weekend of free events, including the annual parade, festival and Day of Dialogue.

County presents awards for MLK Day
Commissioner Bill Proctor announced that Leon County will hand out awards for its 2025 Annual MLK Day Celebration at noon Wednesday, Jan. 15, in the rotunda of the Leon County Courthouse.

Dr. Timothy Beard, Interim President of Florida A&M University, will be the keynote speaker at the celebration, which will give out recognitions for the 2025 Martin Luther King Awards to the following individuals:

• Brenda Williams, Executive Director, Tallahassee Housing Authority
• Jessica Yeary, Public Defender, Second Judicial Circuit, State of Florida
• Cecka Rose Green, Executive Director, Children's Services Council of Leon County
• Sheila Morris, Community Activist
• Barbara DeVane, Humanitarian
• Karen Woodall, Humanitarian
• Curtis Taylor, President and CEO, Tallahassee Urban League
• Alan Williams, Biden- Harris Administration 2021-2025

Lunch will be served after the event in the Rotunda. The MLK Foundation of Florida, Inter-Civic Council of the Southern Christian Leadership Council, and Leon County Government are sponsors of this event. The MLK Day Celebration is free and open to the public.

NAACP Dreamers and Doers Breakfast
Parents, administrators, students and local leaders will gather at the Tucker Civic Center on Friday, Jan. 17, for the Tallahassee NAACP branch's annual commemorative Dreamers and Doers Breakfast to honor the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. and the students who carry on his legacy. The breakfast will start at 7:30 a.m. and doors open at 6:30 a.m. The breakfast is served at 7 a.m.
On Monday, Jan. 20, the NAACP will march to the courthouse and the city will hold its annual parade and festival.

New this year, Patrice Floyd, founder and leader of Javacya Arts Conservatory, has organized the inaugural Distinguished Black Classical Excellence Awards on Sunday, Jan. 19, with the Javacya Elite Chamber Orchestra performing at the AC Hotel in Cascades Park.

Monday Events
NAACP Presentation and March: 9 a.m.- noon. C.K. Steele Plaza to Leon County Courthouse. Road closure details to come closer to the event.

MLK Day Parade: noon-1:30 p.m. Monroe Street. The MLK Day Parade will kick off along North Monroe Street, beginning at Call Street and heading south.

MLK Day Festival: 1:30-6 p.m. Cascades Park. Following the MLK Day Parade, enjoy live entertainment, local food vendors and fun with the MLK Day Festival at Cascades Park. From 4-6 p.m., end the day of celebration with live entertainment by Tallahassee Nights Live at the Adderley Amphitheater.

Day of Dialogue: 2:30-4:30 p.m. Art as Activism: The Role of Artists in Social and Political Movements Parkview at Cascades. Ted Ellis, Director of the Civil Rights Institute at Florida State University, will lead a discussion on the role of artists in social and political movements and will use his art exhibition, Florida Civil Rights Champions, to reflect on the struggles, triumphs and progress made through the efforts of human and civil rights leaders at the local, state and national level. You can get engaged as a participant in the parade or vendor at the festival in Cascades Park by applying online at Talgov.com/MLKParade through Tuesday, Jan. 14.

Original Article by Martha Gruender
Tallahassee Democrat
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/entertainment/things-to-do/2025/01/13/tallahassee-gears-up-for-mlk-day-festivities-with-parade-music/77668946007/