Savannah's 49th MLK Day Parade steps off at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, 2027. Last year's route, road closures and parking rules, and who the 2027 marshals are.

Last checked Nov. 2, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. We will add the 2027 route, closures and the association’s other MLK week events as the organizer and the Savannah Police Department publish them, usually in the week before the parade.

Yes, it is on. The Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Day Association holds its parade at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, 2027, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, according to the association’s parade page. It is the association’s 49th annual celebration. The parade is free to watch.

At a glance

  • When: 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, 2027
  • Last year’s start: East Broad and Liberty streets
  • Last year’s finish: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at Anderson Street
  • Road closures: staging area from 6 a.m., route from 9 a.m., traffic effects to about 2 p.m. (2026)
  • Parking: no parking on the route on parade morning; free on-street parking elsewhere downtown last year
  • 2027 theme: “From the squares to the streets: Savannah marches for the dream”
  • Questions: the association, 912-234-5502

What is confirmed for 2027

From the Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Day Association:

  • Date and time: 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, 2027.
  • Entries: the association will limit the parade to 325 entries. Schools, churches, bands, civic clubs, nonprofits and businesses can apply, and it is also looking for volunteers to help with staging.
  • Marshals: Chatham County Sheriff Richard Coleman and Alderman Linda Wilder-Bryan, the association’s marshals’ page says. It also honors Bishop Earl Coleman as a civil rights activist and Elder Charles OBerry as trailblazer.
  • Theme: “From the squares to the streets: Savannah marches for the dream,” written by D’Avion Poe of New Hampstead High School, the winner of the association’s 2027 theme contest.

Not yet published: the 2027 route, the road closures and the date of the association’s citywide worship service. In 2026 the service was at 5 p.m. the Sunday before the parade.

The route, as it ran in 2026

The Savannah Police Department published this route for the Jan. 19, 2026, parade (2026 notice):

  • Staging: between East Broad and Price streets, from Liberty Street to Gwinnett Street.
  • Start: 10 a.m. at East Broad and Liberty streets.
  • North on East Broad Street to Broughton Street.
  • West on Broughton Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
  • South on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Anderson Street, where the parade disbands along Anderson and May streets.

Road closures and detours

In 2026, according to the Police Department:

  • Staging area streets closed to traffic at 6 a.m.
  • Route streets closed at 9 a.m. and stayed closed until the parade cleared.
  • Drivers could not cross Broughton Street heading north until the parade had passed.
  • To reach the area north of Broughton Street, police said to come in from I-516 or President Street, or to take Randolph Street to Bay Street from south of Broughton and East Broad streets.
  • Police expected traffic effects until about 2 p.m.

For other work on downtown streets, see our road construction and closures page.

Parking

In 2026 the city posted “No Parking Zone” notices along the route by the evening of the Friday before the parade, and vehicles left in them after 6 a.m. on parade day were towed at the owner’s expense. On-street parking outside the no parking zones was free on parade day, and the city’s parking garages were open at regular rates, the Police Department said. The city’s parking garages page lists them.

What this means for you

  • If you live or park on East Broad, Broughton or Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, watch for no parking signs in the days before Jan. 18.
  • Arrive early: the route closes at 9 a.m., an hour before the start.
  • To march or enter a group, call the association at 912-234-5502 before the 325 spaces fill.

Related: things to do this month, New Year’s Eve in Savannah and road construction and closures.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Savannah MLK Day Parade in 2027?

Monday, Jan. 18, 2027, at 10 a.m., according to the Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Day Association, which organizes it. It is the association’s 49th annual celebration.

What is the Savannah MLK parade route?

The 2027 route has not been published. In 2026 the parade started at East Broad and Liberty streets, went north on East Broad to Broughton Street, west on Broughton to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and south on MLK to Anderson Street, the Savannah Police Department said.

Which roads close for the MLK parade?

In 2026 the staging area between East Broad and Price streets, from Liberty to Gwinnett streets, closed at 6 a.m., and the route closed at 9 a.m. Drivers could not cross Broughton Street heading north until the parade cleared, and police expected traffic effects until about 2 p.m.

Who are the 2027 MLK parade marshals?

The association lists Chatham County Sheriff Richard Coleman and Alderman Linda Wilder-Bryan as its 2027 marshals, with Bishop Earl Coleman honored as a civil rights activist and Elder Charles OBerry as trailblazer.

How do I enter a group in the parade?

The association takes entries from schools, churches, bands, civic clubs, nonprofits and businesses and will limit the 2027 parade to 325 entries. Contact it at 912-234-5502 or celebrate@mlkingsavannah.com.