Looking for something to do on the upcoming long weekend that includes a day off from school to honor a civil rights leader? We gathered some of the family-friendly Martin Luther King events Greenville, SC residents should check out if they are looking for ways to honor his life and legacy.
We’ve also included some added special events that can make the long weekend fun for everyone!
MLK Day Events: Greenville, SC
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr Through Community Service
Martin Luther King Day of Service: MLK Day of Service hosted by United Way Piedmont has tons of opportunities for volunteering on Monday.
Unity Week in Spartanburg, SC: The City of Spartanburg and The United Way will celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during Unity Week in 2026 with the community Walk as One on January 17th, 2026 at 9 am at Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy, 431 E Kennedy Street, a Community Celebration on January 18th, 2025 at 3 pm at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. The entire list of community service activities planned can be found on the United Way Website. Unity Week is a great way to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy while helping our beloved community.
Dream Day 2025: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service: You can register to volunteer in Anderson with the United Way for their annual MLK Jr. Day of Service Dream Day. The event takes place on January 17th, 2026. There will be a variety of volunteer opportunities so that anyone who wants to participate can.
Day of Service: Upstate Circle of Friends is hosting a day of service on Monday, January 19th, 2026 from 9 am – 1 pm.
For more info on how you can serve the community in honor of MLK day, there are several national websites to check:
If you’d like more information about places to volunteer in the Upstate, don’t miss our Volunteering Guide.
Learn About The Civil Rights Movement With Help From The Library
The Spartanburg and Greenville Library systems are closed on Monday in observance. The library is the best place to stock up on great books to teach your kids the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr, and the Civil Rights Movement. Here are a couple of excellent book lists to get you started from “What Do We Do All Day?”
- Books About Peace
- Civil Rights Picture Books for Kids
- Books to Inspire Kids to Change the World
- Books that Teach Kids to Combat Racism
- Children’s Books about Protests & Civil Disobedience
Here are a few other books to add to your reading list, for the next trip to the library!
- All Are Welcome, by Alexandra Penfold
- Last Stop On Market Street, by Matt De La Pena
- March: Book One, Book Two, Book Three, by John Lewis
- City Green, by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
Events Honoring The MLK Legacy
2026 MLK Community Breakfast with Justice Leona Theron: Furman University will host Justice Leona Theron for their annual MLK Community Breakfast on January 16th, 2026 at 8 am. Students are admitted for free, and you can purchase tickets for $50 per person, or $400 per table.
2026 Legacy Breakfast: The memorial Legacy Breakfast will be held on January 17th, 2026 at the Nirvana Cultural Center in Fountain Inn.
GVL 2026 Unity Weekend: Visit “The Dream”, an exhibit for Martin Luther King Jr. The entire Unity Week runs January 14th-19th, 2026 with various events.
MLK Day of Service: January 19, 2026 at 12:30 p.m., Trone Student Center (Watkins Room).
For information, contact Meredithe Carr at [email protected]
Annual MLK Jr. Day Luncheon: January 19, 2026- The Annual MLK Jr. Day of Celebration Luncheon will be in Greer, on January 19th, 2025. The event will feature a keynote speaker, music, singers, and lunch.
MLK Jr. Youth Program & Rudolph Gordon College Fair — Feb. 7 at 10 a.m., Trone Student Center (Watkins Room). Contact Bobby Clark at [email protected]
Take A Day Trip for Some Hands-On Learning
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park | Atlanta, GA
In 1980, The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park was established to preserve the places where Martin Luther King, Jr. was born, lived, worked, worshiped, and buried. Each year the 38-acre park hosts nearly a quarter-million guests while sharing the significance of one of the most influential Americans in modern history. Entrance to the park is always free. Learn More About The Martin Luther King and The Black History of Atlanta
The Friendship Nine Lunch Counter | York County, SC
In 1961, 10 College students staged a sit-in at the local McCrory’s Lunch Counter to protest segregation. The men were arrested, and 9 of them refused to pay the fine for these charges, choosing instead to sit in jail for 30 days. The McCrory’s is still there, and you can see the original lunch counter and stools from 1961. The Friendship Nine and their story is an important part of the civil rights movement. Learn More About The Friendship Nine and York County
Things To Do On MLK Day: Schools Out!
Fun In Spartanburg, SC
- Check out a kit from the Spark Space Maker Space at the Headquarters Library over the weekend. They have all kinds of fun kits you can check out to learn to do something new over the weekend!
Fun In Greenville, SC
- Bring kids ages 12 and under to Family Fun Gym time at Acrosmith Gymnastics on Monday, January 19th, 2026 at 9 am or 10:15 am. You have to pre-register online.
- Ice on Main‘s last day for the season is Monday, January 19th, 2026
- Half and all day camps are available from TCMU, TR Makers Co, Yellowbobbypins, and TCMU Spartanburg.
- Hiking in the winter is great for many reasons – the first probably being that there aren’t any bugs! See our big hiking guide for some suggestions of fun trails.
- Go ice skating at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena at Skating on the Big Ice.
- If the weather is mild, you can check out this list of Greenville’s Favorite Playgrounds.
Fun Near The Upstate
- Want to go snow tubing or skiing over the long weekend? See our best places to ski and tube near Greenville story.
- Head up to Black Bear Snow Tubing in Hendersonville for some outdoor fun. They are open Noon-6 pm.
- If you’d like to see some gorgeous waterfalls, see our Winter Waterfall Driving Tour (you may get lucky and even see frozen falls!).
- Day trips are also a way to have fun together on the long weekend. We’ve got a huge Travel page for you to browse for ideas. Charleston is full of places to visit and reflect on the things that Martin Luther King Jr. fought to change.
For more ideas on cheap and inexpensive things to do during winter, Head To The Kidding Around Big List of Winter Fun.
Thank you so much the providing this information of things to do today in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.!