Downtown parade honors Martin Luther King Jr.
KSNV coverage of thousands turning out to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a parade downtown, Jan. 16, 2012.
Bands, step dancers and floats made their way up 4th Street on Monday, as thousands of onlookers crowded the sidewalks for the 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade.
The five-hour parade covered a mile stretch of 4th Street, from Hoover Avenue to Ogden Street, with a stage area midway for group performances.
Toward the front of the lineup, Gov. Brian Sandoval waved to the crowds while perched in the backseat of a convertible.
Not far behind, Mayor Carolyn Goodman walked hand-in-hand with her husband, Oscar. They trailed a singing group of students from Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School.
The crowd proved just as varied as the performers.
“You can see whites, Mexicans, blacks — the generational gap has been filled,” said Natasha Knight, a teaching assistant at Variety Special School.
A radio message inspired Knight, who has lived in Las Vegas for 11 years, to attend the parade honoring King’s work promoting equal and human rights.
“For some reason, at 41 years old, I realized this wouldn’t be at all possible if it weren’t for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” she said.
Next to her, Rosetta Booten waited to see her 11-year-old daughter come down the street with her step-dance group. The mother of two looked down the line, smiling at the sight of black and white children standing together.
Racial equality remains a work in progress, she said, noting “perfection is a process.”
“Kids live what they learn,” she said.
Parade organizers expected this year’s event to be the largest ever, featuring more than 145 entries, such as floats, marching bands, dancers and cars.
MGM Resorts International served as the parade’s presenting sponsor for the second year in a row. The parade capped a week of activities in Las Vegas leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“They take the time to do it; we need to take the time to participate,” said Elliott Holmes, a city employee who attended with his mother. “I came out to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream.”
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy