Audio By Carbonatix
In these parts, we don’t just call this a holiday: The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Marade — so named by former Denver First Lady Wilma Webb to mark it as a cross between a political march and a celebratory parade — is known for being one of the largest King rallies in the nation, and thousands are expected to march from City Park to the Capitol today, as they do every year. Crowds will begin to gather at 9 a.m. at the King statue in City Park for opening ceremonies at 10 a.m.; marchers, including families, floats and drummers, will head toward Colfax Avenue and the Civic Center at 10:45 a.m. for cake, a culminating program, an MLK Jr. yearbook signing and other festivities. Admission is free, and the Marade is open to all; visit drmartinlkingjrchc.org for information.
But the holiday doesn’t end when the march does. Whoop it up tonight at the National Western Stock Show’s King Day tradition: the MLK Jr. African-American Rodeo of Champions, which puts the spotlight on African-American influence in the West with a daring show of contemporary rodeo-style action, from bull riding to mutton busting, put on by stars of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo circuit. Things start shaking at 6 p.m. at the Denver Coliseum, 4600 Humboldt Street; admission ranges from $18 to $40 and includes Stock Show gate admission. Buy tickets in advance at nationalwestern.com.
Mon., Jan. 19, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 2015
