SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Several events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were held Monday across San Diego County.
In the morning, the 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Interfaith Service was held at Balboa Park featuring a ceremony, park clean-up efforts, music and a picnic lunch.
The Imperial Beach City Council hosted a beach clean-up at Rose Teeple Memorial Park with I Love a Clean San Diego and ED-CO. Last year's event on the holiday drew about 200 volunteers to help pick up trash.
At 2:00 p.m., the National Action Network San Diego hosted a march in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in downtown San Diego. About 100 ministers were expected join members of the public in a march down B Street to City Hall for a rally highlighting homelessness, jobs, voting rights and criminal justice issues.
The largest celebration honoring Martin Luther King Jr. drew thousands of spectators and hundreds of participants along a parade route on the San Diego Harbor. The 38th annual parade was held Sunday afternoon and event organizers say it's annually one of the largest celebrations in the country honoring the slain Civil Rights leader.
The procession included marching bands, local elected officials and floats -- including one from San Diego State University featuring a painting of King.
The parade was organized by Zeta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the oldest African American fraternity in the country and one that counted King among its members.
Most government offices will be closed Monday in observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. That includes San Diego city and county offices, libraries and pools. Some recreational facilities will close, including public buildings in Balboa Park.
Parks, golf courses and skate parks operated by the city of San Diego will be open. The Metropolitan Transit System and North County Transit District will operate on regular weekday schedules.
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