South Miami kids can cool off this summer at the Founders Park splash pad! Photo courtesy of City of Aventura
Top 21 Splash Pads and Spraygrounds near Miami and Fort Lauderdale
Get to know your baby during the My Grownup and Me classes at Baby Stars! Photo courtesy of Baby Stars
15 Best Mommy-and-Me Classes in Miami for Kids
Task-tackling service Taskrabbit is able to take on tons of back-to-school projects you may not have even considered outsourcing.
25 Back-to-School Tasks You Didn't Know You Could Pay Someone Else to Do
GUIDE
Classes Guide for Miami Kids
Keep kids laughing and splashing in the pool with these fun games you can play anywhere! Photo by Blue Orange Studio courtesy of Canva
20 Favorite Swimming Pool Games for Kids
Head to Fort Lauderdale this summer for the Movies By Moonlight free movie series. Photo by The Loop FLB, courtesy of Las Olas Oceanside Park
Cheap and Free Outdoor Movies in Miami this Summer for Kids
We've launched a partnership with Care.com to bring background-checked nannies and sitters to the Mommy Poppins Directory.
Find Trusted Babysitters and Nannies Now on Mommy Poppins–Powered by Care.com
Anclote Key, made up of four islands off the Gulf Coast's Tarpon Springs, is a popular gathering place for boaters. Photo courtesy Visit St. Pete-Clearwater
Best Sandbars Near Orlando and Central Florida for Families Interested in Adventure
Get up-close with crocodiles at Zoo Miami. Photo by Ron Magill for Zoo Miami
55 Fun Things To Do around Miami with Kids Before They Grow Up
Get ready for back to school with all the right supplies, classes, and tips.
GUIDE
Back-to-School Guide 2023-24
GUIDE
Ultimate Miami Kids Summer Vacation Guide
Free splash pads and spraygrounds are easy ways to enjoy the summer without breaking the bank. Photo courtesy of City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation
25 Awesome Free Things To Do in Miami This Summer With Kids
Gulfstream Park’s Music in the Park features the greatest collection of local homegrown performers. Photo courtesy of The Village at Gulfstream Park
Free Summer Concerts and the Best Outdoor Music Festivals for Families in Miami South Florida
Get close to underwater creatures at the Frost Science Museum's massive aquarium. Photo by Jackie Jones
Frost Science Museum: Miami's Must-See Family Attraction
The Burger Shack welcomes small children who enjoy the state-of-the-art playground, attached to the restaurant. Photo courtesy of Burger Shack at Lighthouse Cove
Restaurants in Miami Where Kids Can Play While Parents Eat
Go snorkeling in the stunning water at Tranquility Bay Resort. Photo courtesy of the resort
30 Things To Do in the Florida Keys with Kids (Besides Key West )
Photo courtesy of Just 4 Fun Family Fun Center
Best Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, & West Palm Beach
Preschool camps near Miami allow young kids to explore the exciting world around them. Photo courtesy of Funky Fish Ocean Camp
Best Summer Camps in Miami & South Florida for Preschoolers
Kids at Ladybug Yoga summer camp enjoy yoga, arts & crafts, dance, karate, movies, music & drama, playground, water play, and more! Photo courtesy of Ladybug Yoga Camp
Best Free and Affordable Summer Camps in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach
Photo by Jackie Jones
Butterfly World in Coconut Creek: Why Kids Love this South Florida Bug Zoo
Kids will delight at the sight of these aquatic giants. Photo by Charlotte Blanton
The Best Places to See Manatees Near Orlando
Photo courtesy of Ocquatics Swim School
Swimming Lessons for Miami Kids: 10 Best Swim Schools in South Florida
JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Tidal Cove Waterpark - Photo courtesy of Tripadvisor
Best Ft. Lauderdale and Miami Beach Hotels and Resorts for Kids and Families
All Aboard South Florida's New Train: Riding the Brightline to Miami
There are more than just lions at Lion Country Safari.
Lion Country Safari: Drive-thru Zoo with Wildlife, Water Rides, & More in South Florida
Kayaking is one of the many outdoor activities available at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park.
  VIDEO
West Palm Beach with Kids: 40 Things To Do in West Palm Beach, Florida
Treat little ones to a day of fun and glitter at the Kids & Family Festival, located on the Hialeah campus of Miami Dade College. Photo courtesy of the school
Robots, Outdoor Movies, and More Fun Things to Do in Miami This Weekend

MLK Weekend Things To Do in Miami & South Florida: Parades, Festivals, and Reptiles

Martin Luther King Parade in Liberty City, photo courtesy of the event
Martin Luther King Parade in Liberty City, photo courtesy of the event
1/11/23 - By Lindsey Scannell

Looking for the best things to do in Miami and South Florida Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list this weekend!

January is already handing us our second long weekend of 2023, and we've got the parades to prove it! Celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the nation's largest MLK parade in Miami, or with a local parade and film festival in Deerfield Beach.

Other highlights this weekend include a family-friendly Picnic in the Park to mark the end of the Fort Lauderdale Food and Wine Festival and Southwest Ranches Country Fair where everyone can enjoy, carnival rides, games, fun, and food. Meanwhile, fans of reptiles should check out Repticon Pembroke Pines or Creatures Big & Small at the Museum of Discovery and Science for exotic animal demos, shows, and exotic animal encounters. 

Read on for more ways to enjoy this holiday weekend, and find fun things to do all week on our Miami family activities calendar.

As always, if you have an event you think we should check out feel free to e-mail us. Don't forget to bookmark this page and share with a friend!

More Things To Do in Miami this Week with Kids:

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Creatures Big & Small Weekends in January: Animal Ambassador photo courtesy of the Museum of Discovery and Science
Creatures Big & Small Weekends in January: Animal Ambassador photo courtesy of the Museum of Discovery and Science

Things To Do MLK Weekend in Miami and South Florida with Kids

Southwest Ranches Country Fair

Southwest Ranches - January 12 - 16, 2024
Parents and kids can enjoy a country fair with rides, food trucks, carnival food, and games for the whole family. READ MORE

Cooper City Eat to the Beat

Cooper City - Friday January 13, 2023
The city invites families to "eat to the beat" at a night filled with food trucks, free music, and community fun. READ MORE

Sounds of the Town in Davie

Davie - Friday January 13, 2023
Enjoy a free night of music with a different  themed tribute band each month under the stars. READ MORE

Schoolhouse Children's Museum Family Fun Day

Boynton Beach - January 14, 2023
FREE
Bring your family for face painting, arts and crafts, a character parade, a magician, storytelling, dancing, music, food, and lots more entertainment at this Family Fun Day. READ MORE

Repticon Pembroke Pines

Pembroke Pines - January 14 - 15, 2023
Calling all reptile fans for two days of live animal demonstrations, a chance to purchase pets and pet products direct from experts, and all the reptiles and exotic animals you can see in one place. READ MORE

The Big Bounce America 2023 | Miami FL

Miami - Weekends through January 29, 2023
One ticket equals 3 hours of non-stop inflatable fun in "The World’s Biggest Bounce House." READ MORE

Family Story Time at The Four Arts

Palm Beach - January 14, 2023
All children 8 years of age and younger are welcome to enjoy a story time and connected craft with a different theme each week.  READ MORE

Art Lab for Kids: Make Your Own Emoji- Dadeland

Miami - January 14, 2023
FREE
Learn to use the Procreate app on iPad with Apple Pencil to draw an emoji to take home. READ MORE

Food In Motion

Fort Lauderdale - January 14, 2023
Stroll the park for an artisan food market, food trucks, street food, gourmet baked goods, and pop-up boutiques, artisans, and crafters, all adjacent to the playground. READ MORE

Sensory Saturdays at The Miami Children's Museum

Miami - January 14, 2023
FREE
A sensory-friendly experience awaits at the Miami Children’s Museum on the second Saturday of every month. READ MORE

Picnic in the Park presented by Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital

Fort Lauderdale - January 15, 2023
FREE
Head to Fort Lauderdale to celebrate the  conclusion of the Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival with a  picnic in the park.  READ MORE

Make and Take Craft Activity at Sugar Sand Park

Boca Raton - January 15, 2023
FREE
Kids who love animals, science, and art can head to Boca Raton for a different Florida-inspired craft activity each month in the Science Explorium at Sugar Sands Park. READ MORE

Creatures Big & Small Weekends in January

Fort Lauderdale - Weekends through January 29, 2023
Visitors can enjoy shows, demos, exhibits, animal encounters, animal ambassadors, and IMAX films about all the amazing things the animals around us can do. READ MORE

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Deerfield Beach

Deerfield Beach - January 16, 2023
FREE
The celebration kicks off with an exciting parade and then continues on with a small film festival, carnival rides, live entertainment, a guest speaker, and free food. READ MORE

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in Miami

Miami - January 16, 2023
FREE
A signature event that is part of the national registry of MLK Holiday celebrations honoring Dr. King’s dream for unity, freedom, social and economic equality, justice, and sustainability, this parade is the oldest and largest celebration in the US, boasting a record 500,000 in attendance. READ MORE
Play Bug Bingo at Sugar Sand Park. Photo by Jackie Jones
Play Bug Bingo at Sugar Sand Park. Photo by Jackie Jones

More Things To Do with Kids in Florida this Season

30 Free Museum Days and More Free Admission Activities with Kids in Miami & South Florida

What's better than a day at a museum? A FREE museum day! READ MORE

Sugar Sand Park: South Florida’s Best Kept Secret Playground Plus Free Science Museum

There are parks, and then there are parks. READ MORE

All Aboard South Florida's New Train: Riding the Brightline to Miami

Kick back and take kids to West Palm Beach or Miami the easy way. READ MORE

Lion Country Safari: Drive-thru Zoo with Wildlife, Water Rides, & More in South Florida

Don't be surprised if an ostrich pecks at your windshield while you slow down to see the lions. READ MORE

Everglades Airboat Tours: Take a Boat Ride To See the Alligators in the Florida Everglades

Spend an afternoon cruising among the alligators, from anywhere in South Florida. READ MORE

Places featured in this article: