Downtown OKC MLK Day parade rescheduled due to weather

The 45th annual downtown Oklahoma City Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade has been rescheduled to Feb. 1, with events celebrating Dr. King’s legacy continuing throughout the weekend.

Wednesday, January 15th 2025, 8:36 pm

By: Mike Glover

OKLAHOMA CITY -

The streets of downtown Oklahoma City are set for the 45th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade, now rescheduled for Feb. 1 due to extreme cold temperatures.

“I see everyone there from all these nationalities getting together and getting along together; it makes me feel it’s all worthwhile,” said William Jones, chairman of the OKC MLK Alliance.

It is a weekend of events all centered around the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. starting with a job fair.

“The job fair is Monday, the 20th of January. It’s going to be at Douglas High School, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” said Denise Hyche, vice-chair of the OKC MLK Alliance.

Participants are encouraged to dress professionally and bring their resumes. Other events include a health fair, a gospel extravaganza, a prayer breakfast, and several inspirational programs.

Sharina Perry, CEO and founder of Utopia Plastix and Nasdaq’s 2023 Top Inventor of the Year, will be the keynote speaker for the opening program and one of the grand marshals for the parade.

“It is an honor, but my role in this life is to plant and water and watch God make things grow,” Perry said.

The parade consistently boasts well over 100 participants, making it one of the largest MLK parades in the country.

“Sometimes they say the third, sometimes the second largest Martin Luther King parades in the United States,” said Jones.

Organizers feel Dr. King would be proud to see the diversity represented in the parade

“Black kids and white kids, everybody holding hands in the parade walking together,” said Jones.

This year’s parade theme is “show love”

“We continually want to communicate the message that Martin Luther King gave,” said Jones.

The Parade and the silent march have both been rescheduled for February 1st. The silent march will start at 1:45, with the parade starting at around 2.

Organizers also feel it is a good way to kick off Black History Month. For more information about the MLK weekend activities visit them on social media @OKC MLK Alliance.