It’s Friday and no school on Monday!

While this calls for a hip hip hooray, the real celebration is the commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. 

Dr. King was an African American activist during the Civil Rights Movement, before his passing on April 4, 1968 in Memphis Tennessee. Dr. King was known for his non-violent approaches to discrimination and injustice, and is famously remembered for his March on Washington, where he delivered his “I have a dream” speech. 

Since his passing, marches are held across the country on Martin Luther King Day, to honor his legacy. The San Antonio MLK March happens to be one of the largest in the nation, with over 200,000 attendees. The march will be returning this year, post COVID, and here’s what you need to know about the event and other activities to do on this three day weekend, as well as this month: 

The MLK march will begin at 10 a.m Monday, January 16, starting at 3501 Martin Luther King Dr. Attendees will be directed to Pittman-Sullivan Park, located at 1101 Iowa Street. Upon finishing the march, there will be a celebration at the park, which will include performances by a series of speakers and musicians, a health and wellness area, a youth area, and, food and merchandise vendors for citizens to congregate and truly celebrate where we have come since the Civil Rights Movement.  

Though this event is on Martin Luther King Day, the fun doesn’t start or stop there. 

Friday, January 13, the Winter Artisan Show, will be held on the RiverWalk. This three day event will have various vendors selling a wide variety of art, from jewelry, to pottery, to woodwork. There will also be paintings on display for people to enjoy and see the different forms that art comes in. The show will be held from 11 a.m to 11 p.m on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m to 8 p.m. on Sunday. 

Similar to the Artisan Show, the MAAT Market Pop-up Shop will be set up every Saturday, from 12 p.m to 4 p.m. at 3455 MLK Drive, San Antonio 78220. This market will be selling a wide range of African inspired cultural products, such as African clothing and accessories, African-american children and adult books, natural body products and cultural T-shirts. In addition, there will be cultural programs held at 3 p.m to educate and empower the community. Each Saturday of the month, the programs will vary; there was an African Drum Circle last week,  and this week there will be an open mic poetry and story telling. Visit Eventbrite.com for more information. 

Next is the Military Appreciation Night at The Rotary Ice Rink at Travis Park from 5-10 p.m, Monday evening. All active-duty military and first responders skate for free and $4 off admissions for dependents. Even if you do not fall into this category, it’ll still be nice to enjoy the cold weather in style. General Admission prices are $14, including skate rental.  

For all my thrifters, Texas Thrift, located at 7500 IH 35 N #104, San Antonio, Tx 78218, will be having a 50% off MLK sale storewide. Lately, thrifting has been trending on social media, this sale will help you complete your aesthetic, while shopping on a budget. 

Saturday, January 21, a Dominoes and Spade Game Night will be held at 7:00 p.m-11:00 p.m CST. The entry fee is $10, there will be food and drinks for sale and a DJ on the scene to set the ambiance. Bring your crew and why not have fun while playing competitive games. There will also be a raffle for prizes, and limited seating so reserve your spot soon. This event will be located at Carmens de la Calle 320 North Flores San Antonio, TX 78205. 

Lastly, it’s no doubt that BBQ is a Texas favorite. Why not honor MLK while enjoying a good meal? The BBQ place 225 Degree Urban Smokes will be open MLK Day from 11 a.m to 6 p.m, located on 1015 Rittiman Rd #113, San Antonio, TX 78218. The restaurant has a variety of BBQ meats, delicious sides and Cajun specials. The Dine-In restaurant has 4.7 stars on Google and many great reviews on yelp.

Dr. King’s goal with his movement was for our community to be able to enjoy one another, no matter the race, or ethnicity. He wanted us to be able to have fun and come together without allowing skin color to stop that. This weekend, whether you’re out having fun, or relaxing, remember that Dr. King, and others like him fought for peace, love and justice. It would be foolish of us to take steps backwards, when our present shows the future that Dr. King dreamed of.