After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Celebration is returning live and in person to Central Long Beach on Jan. 14.

Locals were disappointed in 2022 when the parade was canceled suddenly after originally being postponed due to concerns over a spike in COVID-19 cases. Now, parade-goers can look forward to an even bigger celebration this year.

While Long Beach has seen high rates of COVID-19 transmission in December and so far in January—as is expected in the colder months—case rates are still significantly lower than they were at this point last year.

The 35th Martin Luther King Jr. Parade will be held at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Anaheim Street, where it has been celebrated for decades. Attendees can expect floats, brass bands, performers and community organizations to take part in honoring the beloved civil rights activist.

The parade, which is free to attend, starts at 10 a.m. Then, from noon to 5 p.m., the remainder of the celebration will take place at Martin Luther King Jr. Park (1950 Lemon Ave.) with speeches and live performances. The park will also feature a health and wellness area, a youth area, food and merchandise vendors and information booths.

Anyone who would like to take part in community service on Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 16, may also sign up for the Leadership Long Beach’s “Day of Service” event, which gathers thousands of volunteers to take part in dozens of community service projects across the city. Click here for more information on how to participate.

Martin Luther King Jr. Park is at 1950 Lemon Ave.

Volunteers wanted for citywide MLK Day of Service event in Long Beach