As Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, Palo Alto is getting ready to honor the civil rights leader through community events.

One of the most notable gatherings is a day of service organized jointly by the city of Palo Alto, Oshman Family Jewish Community Center and Youth Community Services. It kicks off on Jan. 16 at 9 a.m. with a three-hour block of service projects, such as creating warming kits for the unhoused and making crafts for Holocaust survivors.

At 12:30 p.m., community members can join a celebration honoring King at Mitchell Park Community Center, featuring food trucks, performances and information from nonprofits. The day wraps up with a mental health art show and performances from 2-5 p.m. at the JCC with youth from Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Mountain View and Redwood City.

Stanford University is holding a virtual four-day film festival by The World House Project starting Jan. 13. The schedule includes more than 40 documentaries under the theme of "The Crisis of Democracy in the World House." The university also is holding a public worship event on Jan. 15 at Memorial Church from 11 a.m. to noon. The multifaith gathering will be with the Rev. Raymond Carr.

The annual Caltrain NorCalMLK Celebration Train will be stopping at the downtown Palo Alto station at 9:50 a.m. on Jan. 16. The train's final destination is San Francisco, where the public can join a march to Yerba Buena Gardens for festivities. For more information, visit caltrain.com.