Admission Waived At FL’s National Parks On Martin Luther King Jr. Day

FLORIDA — Places where Martin Luther King and others in the Civil Rights Movement made history are among 400 National Park Service facilities, including those in Florida, that will waive admission fees on Monday in honor of King’s birthday.

MLK Day, observed every year on the third Monday of January, has been a federal holiday since 1986 and is a day off for many Americans. Facilities in Florida that are waiving admission include:

• NATIONAL PRESERVE, Big Cypress
• NATIONAL PARK, Biscayne
• NATIONAL SEASHORE, Canaveral
• NATIONAL MONUMENT, Castillo de San Marcos
• NATIONAL MEMORIAL, De Soto
• NATIONAL PARK, Dry Tortugas
• NATIONAL PARK, Everglades
• NATIONAL MEMORIAL, Fort Caroline
• NATIONAL MONUMENT, Fort Matanzas
• NATIONAL SEASHORE, Gulf Islands
• ECOLOGICAL & HISTORIC PRESERVE, Timucuan

MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a day of service. Some of the places with special volunteer opportunities for visitors include the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta; the Selma to Montgomery Historic Trail, which traces the footsteps of King and other civil rights activists in the 1965 Voting Rights March in Alabama; and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., where King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.

Some events in the Tampa Bay region, according to WUSF, include:

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in St. Petersburg: One of the country’s longest running Martin Luther King Day parades, according to its host, Advantage Village Academy. Features floats and marching bands from local schools and colleges. This year’s Grand Marshal is attorney James Flynn. The parade will be accessible for people with disabilities and special viewing areas will be designated. Jan. 15 at 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.Parade starts at Third Street South and First Avenue South. It travels west and ends at Tropicana Field. For more information, email Advantage Village Academy at info@advantagevillageacademy.com.

Learn and Serve Tampa: Volunteers will participate in cleanup and beautification activities at McKay Bay Nature Park. There will also be lunch and an environmental education fair. Jan. 13 at 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. You can express interest in this opportunity here.

Meals on Wheels: Volunteers will help prepare food that will be delivered to homebound clients. Teens are not allowed to participate. Jan. 13 at 9 a.m. to noon. Meals on Wheels of Tampa, 5320 N. Blvd., Tampa. Register for free here.

Teaching Tools Store: Volunteers will help break down bulk product, sort through donations, help with teacher checkout and more. Minors 13 and up must have a parent or guardian registered to volunteer. Jan. 13 at 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Teaching Tools Resource Center, 2306 N. Howard Ave., Tampa, Register for free for the waiting list here.

44th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Breakfast: Hosted by the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs. vJan. 15 at 6:45-9 a.m. at Marriott Tampa, 505 Water St. General admission tickets are sold out. Tickets for guests of table sponsors are $50. Get them here.

City of Tampa’s Martin Luther King Parade: This year’s theme is “Passing the Torch” to emphasize engaging the next generation in social justice, according to the city. The parade will be led by Grand Marshal Gwen Miller, former chairwoman of the Tampa City Council, and headlined by bands from Florida A&M University, Bethune-Cookman University, and Edward Waters University. Jan. 15 at noon. Parade starts at Cuscaden Park at North 15th Street and East 21st Avenue. It ends at Middleton High School at North 22nd Street and East Osbourne Avenue.

MLK Dream Big Banquet: Attendees include St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and Pastor Le’Zaire D. Reese from New Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta as keynote speaker. Jan. 12 at 7-10 p.m. St. Petersburg Country Club, 2000 Country Club Way S., St. Petersburg. This event is free with limited seating. To register, call Advantage Village Academy at (727) 321-7919 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. For more information, email info@advantagevillageacademy.com.

Dunedin Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration – Breakfast: A free breakfast featuring the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church choir, keynote speakers and readings of winning student essays about diversity. Jan. 13 at 8:30-10:30 a.m. MLK, Jr. Recreation Center, 550 Laura Lane, Dunedin. This event is free. For more information, email ehoban@dunedinfl.net or call (727) 738-2920.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Clearwater: The event begins with breakfast at the North Greenwood Recreation Center. At 11 a.m., a march kicks off from the center, proceeding along Cleveland Street and ending at Coachman Park. There will be events and music at the park and The Sound following the march. Jan. 15 at 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatic Complex, 900 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Clearwater. This event is free. For more information, email NAACP5096@gmail.com, call (727) 307-4865 or visit ClearwaterNAACP.com.

Other free admission days at national parks in 2024 are:

• April 20: First day of National Park Week
• June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
• Aug. 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• Sept. 28: National Public Lands Day
• Nov. 11: Veterans Day