SF’s MLK Jr Day 2025 Festivals & Marches (Jan. 13-20)
All Over San Francisco | San Francisco, CA
Event Details
The NorcalMLK Foundation announces the events for the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.
The Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation has announced the events for the 2025 Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
“We are excited about our celebration events for MLK2025. Our full slate of events begins with virtual programs on Monday, January 13, includes exciting programs throughout the week, and ends on Monday, January 20, at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens with celebrations for all,” stated NorcalMLK Foundation executive director, Aaron Grizzell.
Full List of MLK Jr Day Events
2025 MLK NOONTIME CONCERT
January 14, 12:30pm
Old Saint Mary’s Cathedral
660 California Street, San Francisco
The NorcalMLK Foundation is partnered with Noontime Concerts (NTC), aligning our shared values of social justice and the transformative power of the arts.
The concert launches the MLK Celebration Week, with a compelling set of performances dedicated to honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Famed pianist Carl Blake is the program director.
This event is free and open to the public.
2025 KING & FAITH SERIES
January 15-20
Various Locations
2025 represents our tenth annual King & Faith series that presents contemporary contemplation of Dr. King, his message, and his legacy. The public programs are scheduled to begin on January 15 and are free and open to the public. Programs include:
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Jan. 16 – THE KING & FAITH SYMPOSIUM
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Jan. 19 – THE 2025 HOWARD THURMAN HOMILY
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Jan. 19 – THE 2025 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CELEBRATION SERVICES
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Jan. 19 – THE 2025 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. INTERFAITH EVENSONG
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Jan. 19 – THE 2025 KING AND FAITH FORUM
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Jan. 20 – THE 2025 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ADDRESS
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Jan. 20 – THE MLK2025 MARCH
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Jan. 20 – THE 2025 MLK INTERFAITH COMMEMORATION
BLACK & BROWN COMIX ARTS FESTIVAL
January 18–20
The 2025 Black & Brown Comix Arts Festival (BCAF2025) marks the eleventh year of the nationally awarded comic book event highlighting artists and creators of color.This year we are inaugurating the BCAF Cosplay Soirée, our new cosplay celebration on Saturday, January 18.
MLK2025 LABOR & COMMUNITY BREAKFAST
January 20, 8:00am
The InterContinental San Francisco Grand Ballroom
888 Howard Street, San Francisco
The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Labor & Community Breakfast brings labor, government, and the community together to honor the legacy of the civil rights connection between labor, led by A. Philip Randolph, the African American community, and the poor.
The event features federal, state, and local leaders in government, musical talent of the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble, and the presentation of the NorcalMLK Foundation’s signal award, The Willie B Kennedy Civic Service Award to The Hon. Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown, senior minister of the historic Third Baptist Church in San Francisco and past member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
As the first event on MLK Day, the Labor & Community Breakfast launches a host of activities honoring King that occur at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Labor & Community Breakfast is a partnership between the NorcalMLK Foundation and the San Francisco Labor Council.
MLK2025 MARCH
SF Caltrain Station
January 20, 11:00am
4th Street@Townsend Street
Join thousands in honoring the Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama marches and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by experiencing the MLK2025 commemorative march/parade from San Francisco’s Caltrain Station to Yerba Buena Gardens. The march begins at 11:00am on Monday, January 20, and participants are encouraged to arrive early. The 1.5 mile journey crosses the Lefty O’Doul Bridge and stops at Willie Mays Plaza at AT&T Park to commemorate the crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, a symbol of violence and victory in the civil rights movement.
Groups can register and march together at the MLK2025 March Eventbrite page.
At the conclusion of the march, in partnership with the San Francisco Interfaith Council, an interfaith commemoration will bring together the region’s faith leaders to commemorate the vision of Dr. King and to lead participants in a spiritual reflection of his message.
MLK2025 CELEBRATION PROGRAM
January 20, 1:00pm
Blue Shield of California Theater @ YBCA
700 Howard Street
The MLK2025 Celebration Program will feature special performances and programs. The MLK2025 program will see an historic conversation with the The Hon. Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown, The NorcalMLK Foundation’s 2025 Willie B Kennedy Civic Service Awardee.
We will also see our historic conversation with women leaders in culture, community, politics, and technology discussing the future and the work that continues into 2025.
MLK2025 MUSIC FESTIVAL
January 15, 1:00pm
The Stage on the Main Lawn
Yerba Buena Gardens
Enjoy the 15th Annual MLK Music Festival presented by Purple Cherry Productions and Yerba Buena Gardens Festival.
The MLK2025 Music Festival features award winning artists and hosts of the local hit show “I Remember That Song!” will bring Yerba Buena Gardens to life, while emceeing the performances.
MLK2025 HEALTH & WELLNESS FESTIVAL
JANUARY 20, 11:00am
Yerba Buena Gardens
The MLK2025 Health and Wellness Festival gathers the region’s health providers for a one-day event of free services and exciting activities during the MLK celebration.
MLK2025 LIBERATION FILM FESTIVAL
January 20, 12:00pm
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
701 Mission Street, San Francisco
The Liberation Film Festival (LFF) are dedicated to bringing short-format cinema and human-interest documentaries to the public through innovative programs designed to engage new and diverse audiences. 20245 marks the fifteenth annual program and will feature human interest and civil rights documentaries and, for the first time, animated shows. A partnership with California Newsreel, the screenings are free and open to the public with limited theater seating on a first-come, first-served, basis.
LFF scheduled screenings will be presented in the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Screening Room.
MLK2025 COMMEMORATIVE TRANSIT
January 20
NorcalMLK partners with local and regional transit agencies to provide commemorative travel to and from our events on the MLK federal holiday. The NorcalMLK Transit Program returns with the MLK2025 NorcalMLK Caltrain Celebration Train. Reservations will be available soon at your tickets today at the MLK2025 Caltrain Celebration Train site.
Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.
Cost: FREE*
