St. Pete To Celebrate With Longest-Running MLK Parade In Country

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- St. Petersburg will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy over the three-day weekend with the nation's longest-running parade honoring MLK.

The 34th annual MLK Dream Big Parade will get underway at Monday, Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. with a new route beginning at 3rd Street and 1st Avenue South and running west along 1st Avenue South in downtown St. Pete and ending at Tropicana Field.

More than 50,000 spectators come out to see the parade featuring bands, city leaders, civic groups, dance troupes and local businesses.

The parade will be followed by a Family Fun Day at Tropicana Field, featuring a kids' zone, entertainment, an education drive, day of service programs and other activities from 2:30 to 8 p.m.

Advantage Village Academy, organizer of the city's MLK celebration, will kick off the festivities on Saturday, Jan. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a Bring Da Heat Dance Competition at Gibbs High School, 850 34th St. S., St. Petersburg, featuring dance teams from around the country. Tickets are $20.

Then on Sunday, Jan. 20, the high school will host a Battle of the Bands from 5 to 9 p.m. Some of the top high school and college bands from across the country will perform and compete for bragging rights. The event will also include food and performances by dance troupes. Tickets are $10. Click here.

Images via Advantage Village Academy

(For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)