photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Attendees gather for the 18th annual Martin Luther King Jr. community breakfast on Monday, January 20, 2025.

Lawrence will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a lineup of talks, performances, family activities, and community events.

Here’s a look at what’s happening in the community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and which offices and services will be closed or adjusted for the holiday.

THINGS TO DO

• The Lawrence Public Library will host several events in celebration of the holiday. At 2 p.m. on Saturday, the library auditorium will feature a presentation titled “Good Trouble” by John Edgar Tidwell, professor emeritus of English at the University of Kansas. The phrase “good trouble” was coined by late U.S. Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis to describe his acts of civil disobedience during the 1960s. Tidwell’s talk will examine the role of the humanities during times of crisis, conflict, and deep disagreement. The presentation is part of Humanities Kansas’ Speakers Bureau and is sponsored by Humanities Kansas.

Additional events will take place Monday, Jan. 19, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day will begin with a special story time at 10:30 a.m. in the auditorium led by local musician and poet Barry Barnes. At 11:15 a.m., families can head to the Readers’ Theater for an MLK Day-themed craft.

At noon, the auditorium will reopen for a free community lunch buffet from Taco Zone, available while supplies last. The meal is donated by Codi and Simon Bates of Bates Co. During lunch, local artist, musician, and founding member of B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence, Alex Kimball Williams, will perform.

• The 19th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Breakfast will be held at 7:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19, at Maceli’s, 1031 New Hampshire St. As the Journal-World reported, the featured speaker will be Deborah Dandridge, a field archivist and curator of the African American Experience Collections at the University of Kansas’ Kenneth Spencer Research Library. Vocalist Vanessa Thomas will also perform. The breakfast is hosted by the Jayhawk Breakfast Rotary, and tickets are $15 and available through Maceli’s website.

• The MLK One Dream 2026 Celebration will take place Thursday, Jan. 22, at the Lied Center of Kansas, 1600 Steward Drive. Doors open at 6 p.m., followed by an art gallery display from 6 to 6:30 p.m., with the program beginning at 6:30 p.m. The event honors Lawrence Public Schools students and staff who exemplify Dr. King’s legacy through compassion, connection, and nonviolent leadership.

Honorees are recognized for strengthening community, bridging differences, and fostering spaces of belonging and respect. The program will also include performances by Lawrence Public Schools students featuring music, spoken word, and other artistic expressions.

• Theater Lawrence is putting on performances of “The Mountaintop” by Katori Hall from Jan. 30 – Feb. 8. On the eve of King’s assassination, he is visited by a mysterious stranger in a reimagining of his final night. The play takes place in a room at Lorraine Motel, and it is a poetic exploration of legacy, morality and the man behind the movement, according to Theater Lawrence’s website. To purchase tickets, visit theatrelawrence.com/the-mountaintop.

HOLIDAY CLOSURES

• City of Lawrence offices will be closed.

• Parking at meters, lots and garages in downtown Lawrence will be free.

• Lawrence Transit will operate some fixed routes as well as regular T Life and On Demand service. Routes 1 – 10 will operate as usual and routes 11 and 12 will operate on a reduced schedule.

• All Lawrence Parks and Recreation facilities will be closed except the Eagle Bend Golf Course.

• Douglas County government offices will be closed – including District Court, the District Attorney’s Office, the Treasurer’s Office and the Senior Resource Center.

• Offices on the University of Kansas campus will be closed.

• Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center’s outpatient services will be closed. For those in crisis, the Treatment & Recovery Center of Douglas County will be available for walk-ins. People can also call/text crisis support and response at 988.

• Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health ‘s clinic and office will be closed.