Little Rock Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade & Celebration

Little Rock's MLK Day Parade is one of the metro's most meaningful civic events — a march through downtown that draws community organizations, churches, school groups, elected officials, and civic clubs alongside marching bands and performance groups from across the metro. The parade route runs along Markham Street through the heart of downtown, with a post-parade ceremony and celebration program. Little Rock's civil rights history gives the day particular resonance — the city was the site of the 1957 Central High School desegregation crisis, and the Central High Museum and Visitor Center is a mile from the parade route. Many attendees make a day of it, combining the parade with a visit to the Central High site or the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. All events are free and open to the public.