Communities across Chicago have an array of events planned over the weekend to honor and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.
Jan. 20 is a federally observed holiday to honor King, whose actual birthday is Jan. 15. Although kids will have the day off of school, there are still plenty of opportunities for learning about the history of the Civil Rights Movement and King’s legacy.
Performances, panel discussions and art exhibitions will be held by the City of Chicago and other organizations in the days leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Chicagoans looking to donate their time will also be able to participate in various service events ranging from helping clean up forest preserves to delivering meals to seniors.
39th annual Interfaith Breakfast
8:30 a.m., Friday
Marriott Marquis Chicago, 2121 S. Prairie Ave.
The City of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson will host the 39th annual Interfaith Breakfast to commemorate King’s life and work.
Guests can register for the event online.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Learning
10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Saturday
Rainbow PUSH Headquarters, 930 E. 50th St.
The Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Day of Service and Learning will include panel discussions and speeches from guests including Rev. Jim Wallis, Archbishop Desmond Tutu Chair in Faith and Justice at Georgetown University; Rev. Otis Moss III; Rev. Charlie Dates; Rev. Beth Brown and other local faith, civic and corporate leaders.
The day will also feature a “Unity Breakfast,” advocacy and action training, financial literacy session, community service projects and a day-long resource fair.
Free tickets are available online.
Forest Preserves of Cook County MLK Service Day Celebration
10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday
Caldwell Woods, West Devon Avenue and North Nagle Avenue
Schiller Woods-East, West Irving Park Road and North Cumberland Avenue
Eggers Grove, East 112th Street and South Ave E.
The Forest Preserves of Cook County will host service day events. Volunteers will be able to sign up and help clean up litter from forest preserves across the city. Adults and teenagers are encouraged to participate.
Registration is not required.
Chicago Public Library MLK Day Celebration
1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday
Brainerd Branch, 1350 W. 89th St.
The Chicago Public Library will be hosting a free event for kids between 6 and 13 years old. Kids will be able to make crafts and learn about King’s work as a civil rights activist.
Rainbow PUSH Coalition annual Dr. King Breakfast
8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Monday
Soldier Field United Club, 1410 Special Olympics Dr.
At the 36th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, the Rainbow PUSH coalition will gather with business and civic leaders and city officials to honor the work of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
The breakfast will include a keynote speech by Ben Jealous, a civil rights leader, environmentalist and executive director of the Sierra Club. There will also be performances by Uniting Voices Youth Choir and Zoie Imani Reams, Star of the Lyric Opera production of “Blue.”
Tickets are $150 and can be purchased online.
7th annual King Day of Service
9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday
Dr. Martin Luther King High School, 4445 S. Drexel Blvd.
Social justice organization Organic Oneness will hold a day of service. Volunteers will be given breakfast and the opportunity to choose their service project. All volunteers will walk to a nearby service project or be bused to a neighborhood school.
Volunteers of all ages are welcome, but minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Volunteers can register to participate online.
The DuSable Museum Martin Luther King Day Celebration
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday
The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, 740 E. 56th Pl.
The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center will host an all-day celebration with activities for people of all ages. The event will include film screenings, arts and crafts and performances.
Admission to the event is free.
Chicago History Museum’s family-focused celebration of MLK Jr.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday
Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St.
The Chicago History Museum will hold an all-day family-friendly celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s influence on the fight for civil rights in the U.S. The museum will have discussions, workshops and performances scheduled.
The event will kick off with an arts and crafts activity and end with a film screening of “Mighty Times: The Children’s March.”
Tickets to the event are free to Illinois residents.
For a complete list of events and to reserve tickets, visit the museum’s website.
MLK Day Clothing and Food Distribution
11 a.m., Monday
3201-3221 W Marquette Rd
The Zakat Foundation of America will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day by distributing winter clothes and food for those in need. The foundation also aims to encourage volunteers to take civic responsibility and actively improve their communities.
“We are so excited to empower our local communities to help serve our under-resourced neighbors,” said Nayma Kose, outreach and community engagement director. “Bringing everyone together in the spirit of service celebrates the best parts of ourselves.”
King Day at the Art Institute of Chicago
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday
Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.
The Art Institute of Chicago will honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a day filled with art-making activities. The educational and creative programming draws inspiration from the exhibition, Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica, the museum said.
Visitors of all ages are invited to participate in guided tours, crafts and to sing along with performances by Miss Katie Sings.
The free event will be held in the Ryan Learning Center.
The museum will also lead a gallery conversation of a “Letter from Birmingham Jail” using King’s words as a guide to interpret artworks in the collection. Visitors will be able to interpret the many meanings of justice, resistance and faith, said the museum.
Those wishing to participate in the guided tour are asked to meet at 2 p.m. in Griffin Court.
My Block My Hood My City Martin Luther King Jr. Volunteer Day
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday
Washington Park Fieldhouse, 5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, My Block My Hood My City will host a citywide volunteer event to deliver meals to senior citizens. Volunteers will collect boxes of shelf-stable food and fresh meal kits and hand-deliver them to elderly residents across Chicago.
“This volunteer event aims to bring joy and nourishment to those who need it most, while honoring,” organizers said.
Volunteers can register on the organization’s website.
MLK Day 2025: Echoes of Freedom
11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday
Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave.
The Hyde Park Art Center will hold a daylong celebration. The event will include live music, film screenings, art activities and discussions for people of all ages.
“This year’s theme, Echoes of Freedom, highlights the ways in which art serves as a vessel for collective memory, liberation and joy while reflecting on Dr. King’s profound impact on social justice and cultural movements,” the art center said.
Guests can RSVP for the free event online.
2025 Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Faith in Action Assembly
1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Chicago, 2233 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
The Community Renewal Society will host the 2025 Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Faith in Action Assembly, “The People’s Inauguration: The Sounds of Freedom.” At the event, guests will reflect on the work and legacy of King Jr.
Guests at the event include poet Laurence Minter and Emmy-nominated writer and filmmaker Malcolm London.
Guests can register for the event here.
Fight Fear Build Power: MLK, Ali and the Fierce Urgency of Now
2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday
Inner City Muslim-Action Network, 2755 W. 63rd St.
The Inner City Muslim-Action Network will honor the legacies of both Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King Jr. and their work to fight injustice. The event will feature a panel discussion with journalist Natalie Y. Moore and Tonika Johnson, of the Folded Map Project, moderated by Rami Nashashibi, IMAN founding executive director.
Guests can register for the free event online.