Join us for the 2026 MLK Parade & Rally Celebration
The 2026 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Parade & Rally Celebration will be held in beautiful Punta Gorda, FL on Monday, January 19, 2026 at 11:00am. The theme for the 2026 event is “The Struggle Continues; We Will Not Quit!”
Staging will be near the Charlotte Harbor Event Center, located at 75 Taylor Street in Punta Gorda, FL. Staging time for parade float participants will be at 9:00AM and walkers at 10:00AM. We plan on arriving 8:30AM to prepare for the activities of the day. Anyone wishing to walk with our group is welcome. Come and fellowship with us as we honor the extraordinary efforts, influences and accomplishments of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. toward peace, justice and equal opportunity for all.
The parade will begin promptly at 11:00AM at 75 Taylor St. in Punta Gorda, traveling south on Taylor St. to Charlotte Ave., east on Charlotte Ave, then south on Mary St. to the
Cooper Street Recreation Center-YMCA, 650 Mary St, Punta Gorda.
The parade is followed by a rally program, at which a local citizen is recognized with the MLK Award, as well as dignitaries, sponsors and a theme speaker.