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Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Jan. 20, but there are local events and volunteer opportunities honoring the civil rights leader happening now through Jan. 22. From a symposium at Stanford and Caltrain’s Celebration Train to a community singalong and numerous volunteer projects, here’s what’s happening over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. All events are free unless otherwise noted.
MLK Day at Stanford: Stanford University is hosting multiple events for the 2025 King & Faith Symposium Series. Jan. 15 features a film and discussion focused on the day Martin Luther King Jr. came to campus. Jan. 16 is the King & Faith Interreligious Symposium with keynote scholar Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown. On Jan. 19 is the Martin Luther King Jr. Multifaith Celebration. Dr. Stacey Floyd-Thomas will give the 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Address. There will also be music from the Stanford Gospel Choir, Everyday People Acapella Group and the Memorial Church Choir, with performances from Stanford Chocolate Heads.
Events conclude Jan. 22 with the Fireside Chat featuring Lerone A. Martin, director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute, and Joyce Sackey, chief equity, diversity and inclusion officer and associate dean of the School of Medicine. The discussion will focus on King’s dream of equality through the lens of health equity.
Film and discussion is Jan. 15 from 5-7 p.m. at Memorial Church, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford. King & Faith Interreligious Symposium is Jan. 16 from 5-6 p.m. at Memorial Church. Martin Luther King Jr. Multifaith Celebration is Jan. 19 at 11 a.m. at Memorial Church. Fireside Chat is in person and virtual; attend in person at the ChEM-H Building, Room E241 on campus, attend an in-person livestream at The Hub at Stanford Research Park, 3215 Porter Drive, Palo Alto, or at the Cardinal Conference Center, Room C104/C105, Stanford. Zoom livestream also available. RSVP requested for Fireside Chat. mlkday.stanford.edu.
Redwood Restoration: Help eradicate the invasive shrub known as French broom and get an exclusive look at a part of Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve that’s not yet open to the public. Long sleeves and long pants are strongly encouraged, as well as water bottles, sturdy close-toe shoes and sun protection. Gloves, tools and light snacks will be provided.
Jan. 17, 9 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, 19480 Bear Creek Road, Los Gatos. Volunteers must be registered individually and have approved the online waiver through the Eventbrite page. Youth under 18 must have their legal guardian approve the waiver. tinyurl.com/redwoodrestoration.
Junipero Serra Park Volunteer Planting Event: Help San Mateo County plant riparian plant species in the San Bruno park. Gloves and tools will be provided. Participants are asked to wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing that can get dirty. Water bottles, sun protection, layers and snacks are also encouraged.
Jan. 18, 9 a.m. to noon at Junipero Serra Park, 1801 Crystal Springs Road, San Bruno. Volunteers under 18 must be registered by a parent or guardian, and children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult. tinyurl.com/juniperoserraparkplanting.
Shoreline Marsh Habitat Restoration: Volunteer to restore marsh habitat for local wildlife at this Grassroots Ecology event. Participants will plant California native plants that grow in the Bay marshlands and learn about the ecology of local baylands and how to protect them.
Jan. 18, 9 a.m. to noon, meet at the Bay Trail at Mountain View Slough marshlands directly south of Pond A2W, parking lot located at 2940 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View. Volunteers must be registered individually and have approved the online waiver through the Eventbrite page. Youth under 18 must have their legal guardian approve the waiver, and volunteers 12 and under require an accompanying adult. All volunteers must also sign the city of Mountain View’s waiver in person; youth 17 and under must bring a parent or legal guardian to sign on their behalf. tinyurl.com/shorelinemarshrestoration.
Bair Island Volunteer Workday: Join Peninsula Open Space Trust and San Francisco Bird Observatory for a Saturday morning of weeding invasive plants or planting native species that will support the island’s ecosystem. Tools will be provided, and no prior experience or knowledge is necessary. Volunteers will learn a brief history of Bair Island, as well as information about tidal wetlands and native versus invasive plants.
Jan. 18, 9 a.m. to noon, meet at Bair Island Trail Parking Lot, Bair Island Road, Redwood City. This event is best for children 14 and up. All minors must be accompanied by adults. No dogs allowed. tinyurl.com/bairislandworkday.
Redwood Grove Nature Preserve Volunteer Work: Help restore a small redwood forest habitat with Grassroots Ecology. Volunteers will use garden tools, plant native plants, prune back dormant plants and learn about ecological restoration techniques.
Jan. 18, 1-4 p.m. at the Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, 482 University Ave., Los Altos. Volunteers must be registered individually and have approved the online waiver through the Eventbrite page. Youth under 18 must have their legal guardian approve the waiver, and volunteers 12 and under require an accompanying adult. Event is rain or shine. tinyurl.com/redwoodgrovework.
Habitat Restoration: Join Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District staff and volunteers removing French broom in a recently opened portion of Bear Creek Redwoods. Staff will provide training on plant identification, removal techniques and why French broom is being removed. Participants are encouraged to bring snacks and lunch, a refillable water bottle and sun and rain protection, and to wear long, layered clothing and sturdy shoes.
Jan. 18, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, 19480 Bear Creek Road, Los Gatos. Meet staff at gate BC01 a half-mile west of Highway 17 on Bear Creek Road. Advance registration required; all minors must have signed parental approval and be accompanied by an adult. tinyurl.com/bearcreekhabitatrestoration.
Rancho Corral de Tierra Habitat Stewards: Help restore natural habitats on the coast by removing invasive species and reducing fire risk. Attendees are encouraged to wear clothes that can get dirty and to bring layers, sunscreen, lunch and water. Long pants and closed-toe shoes are required. No experience necessary, and tools will be provided. Event is rain or shine.
Jan. 19, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Rancho Corral de Tierra, Frenchmans Creek Road, Half Moon Bay. Volunteers 10 and up are welcome. Registration and completed volunteer agreement form required; participants under the age of 18 must have the parent/guardian approval section signed. tinyurl.com/ranchohabitatstewards.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Mitzvah Day 2025: The Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto will host two days of service Jan. 19-20 both on its campus and at Gideon Hausner Day School, Los Altos United Methodist Church and other satellite locations. Friends and family are welcome to join in to work on various projects, including habitat restoration in Half Moon Bay, a work day at Hidden Villa and tree planting in East Palo Alto.
Jan. 19, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Jan. 20, 9:30 a.m. to noon. Volunteer site locations vary. Preregistration required. Participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a guardian. tinyurl.com/mitzvahday2025.
Dr. MLK Jr. Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice: Join Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice for a program at First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto. Marking the eve of MLK Day and the presidential inauguration, the program’s theme asks “Where do we go from here: chaos or community?” The evening will include local community leaders and music by several choirs.
Jan. 19, 5:30-7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto. tinyurl.com/multifaithvoices.
Caltrain NorCalMLK Celebration Train: Caltrain’s special MLK Day service is back for those looking to attend the annual observance hosted by the Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation (NorCalMLK) in San Francisco. The train will provide free service, with onboard activities and a kids’ giveaway planned.
The free ride pays tribute to the 54-mile Selma to Montgomery March in 1965. The chartered train will leave San Jose at 9:20 a.m., making stops at the Palo Alto station, San Mateo and Millbrae before arriving in San Francisco. There is no special southbound service, but Celebration Train tickets will be accepted on southbound trains leaving San Francisco after 1 p.m. that day.
Jan. 20, 9:20-10:27 a.m. Attendees must register in advance to receive a free Celebration Train commemorative ticket. Station parking is $5.50. Train at the San Mateo and Millbrae stations will board on the southbound track. caltrain.com/caltrains-mlk-celebration-train.
MLK Day of Service Tree Planting: Help plant the final trees to qualify Los Robles-Ronald McNair Academy as California’s first arboretum on a K-12 public school campus. Find family-friendly activities for all ages along with a raffle, community resources and light snacks.
Jan. 20, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Los Robles Ronald McNair Academy, 2033 Pulgas Ave., East Palo Alto. Registration required. canopy.org/event-calendar.
MLK Jr. Workday at EPACS Garden: Volunteer at the East Palo Alto Charter School Garden on the school’s Founders’ Day. Activities will include weeding, planting, mulching, turning compost and starting seeds. Wear closed-toe shoes, sun protection and layered clothes that are OK to get a little dirty. Volunteers are asked to bring garden gloves if they have them; some will be provided.
Jan. 20, 9 a.m. to noon at EPACS Garden, 1286 Runnymede St., East Palo Alto. Preregistration required. youthcommunityservice.org/mlk.
East Palo Alto Community Service Day: Join other community members to help clean the baylands for the inaugural East Palo Alto Community Service Day. Gloves, water bottles and garbage bags will be provided.
Jan. 20, 10 a.m. to noon, meet at the end of Runnymede Street next to East Palo Alto Charter School. For more info, email kontac510@gmail.com.
MLK Community Sing: Local singer-songwriter Deborah Levoy will lead the group in songs to inspire justice, peace and unity, with songs coming from diverse faith traditions. Some chairs will be provided, and participants are also welcome to stand or bring their own chairs. No singing experience or skill is required, and all are welcome.
Jan. 20, 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Mitchell Park, 600 East Meadow Drive, Palo Alto. Meet at the sunken bowl/multipurpose area. tinyurl.com/mlkdaysing.
Wildlife Habitat Revegetation: Volunteer with Peninsula Open Space Trust and Grassroots Ecology at Arastradero Preserve. Participants will plant native vegetation and use buckets to water the plants.
Jan. 20, 1-3:30 p.m. at Arastradero Preserve, 1530 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto. Volunteers must be registered individually and have approved the online waiver through the Eventbrite page. Youth under 18 must have their legal guardian approve the waiver, and volunteers 12 and under require an accompanying adult. tinyurl.com/habitatrevegetation.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Gathering: Youth Community Service and the cities of East Palo Alto and Palo Alto host a free community event with youth-driven service opportunities, live music and performances, food trucks and local organizations.
Jan. 20, 1-3 p.m. at the Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Preregistration for service opportunities recommended but not required. youthcommunityservice.org/mlk.
What an special day! It coincides with the inauguration of our 47th president of the United States, President Trump! Let us all join in prayer wishing him an outstanding four year presidency and may Martin Luther King be an inspiration for President Trump’s leadership to rule in love for our country and all our people.