Across the state, Iowans will gather Monday to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day to honor the civil rights activist’s legacy at events focused on volunteering, prayer and hearing from community organizers.
As a national holiday, post offices, banks, nonessential federal government offices, as well as many local and state government entities and some businesses, will be closed Jan. 19, 2026 in observance of MLK Day. As some institutions close for the day, others are offering specific programming and events centered around King’s legacy for the holiday.
Here are a few ways to celebrate the Nobel Peace Prize winner, learn about the history of the Civil Rights Movement and support local community organizations across the state Monday:
Speakers and celebrations
MLK Day Celebration, West Des Moines
Dr. Vicky Long Hill, a lawyer and West Des Moines community advocate, will give a keynote address at the event. Musical performances, food, educational exhibits, as well as scholarships and community awards will also be featured at the event.
- Location: MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex, 6500 Grand Ave., West Des Moines
- Time: 5-7 p.m. Jan. 19
- Organizers: The City of West Des Moines Human Rights Organization and West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, partnering with West Des Moines Community Schools, West Des Moines Historical Society, Des Moines University, Taste of the Junction, Meals from the Heartland, and Polk County
Ames/Story County Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, Ames
In addition to hosting music, presenting the Humanitarian Award and annual high school essay winners, the Ames MLK Day celebration will also feature a speech from former Waterloo Mayor Quintin Hart. Hart, who served as mayor from 2016 to 2025, was Waterloo’s first African-American mayor, winning recognitions including the 2024 Iowa Mayor of the Year title, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Iowa Legislative Black Caucus.
- Location: Ames City Auditorium, 520 6th St., Ames
- Time: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19
- Organizers: Ames/Story County MLK Celebration Committee, City of Ames
MLK Day Keynote Address, Des Moines
Kittie D. Weston Knauer is giving an address at Grand View University reflecting on “the importance of moving from me to we, challenging audiences to consider how community, courage, and commitment can drive meaningful change.” Weston Knauer worked for 33 years as a teacher, vice principal and principal in Des Moines Public Schools, and is known for being the oldest competitive female BMX racer in the U.S. at age 77.
- Location: Grand View Viking Theater, 2811 E. 14th St., Des Moines
- Time: 12 p.m. Jan. 19
- Organizers: Grand View University
Forest Avenue Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration, Des Moines
Bo James, community leader and executive director of Hip-Hope Inc., an organization focused on youth support, is giving a keynote address at the Forest Avenue Library. Outside of this event, all six Des Moines Public Library locations are closed in recognition of MLK Day.
- Location: Forest Avenue Library, 1326 Forest Ave., Des Moines
- Time: 4-5 p.m. Jan. 19; doors open at 3:30 p.m.
- Organizers: Des Moines Public Library
13th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast, Des Moines
The YMCA is hosting a panel discussion with local education leaders titled “Education: Lighting the Path to the Dream” at their annual MLK Day prayer breakfast. The event will also recognize individuals for winning Make A Difference Awards for their work “to advance opportunity and build a stronger, more inclusive community,” according to a news release.
- Location: Drake University Olmsted Center, 875 University Ave., Des Moines
- Time: 8-9:30 a.m. Jan. 19
- Organizers: YMCA, sponsored by EquiTrust, Bankers Trust, Athene, Veridian Credit Union, Drake University and Mid-Iowa Health Foundation
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration, Sioux City
The NAACP Sioux City chapter is hosting an event Monday at Briar Cliff University featuring a keynote address from Dr. Shirley Mays, a law professor at the University of South Dakota, as well as music from the MLK Gospel Community Choir.
- Location: Chapel of Our Lady of Grace, 3303 Rebecca St., Sioux City
- Time: 7-8 p.m. Jan. 19
- Organizers: NAACP Sioux City
Days of Service
Black Future Fest: MLK Day of Service at ICSC, Iowa City
Iowa City will be hosting a monthlong celebration called Black Future Fest, focused on “highlighting Afrofuturistic art, literature, fashion, and community imagination across Iowa City.” The first event in this series, hosted by Iowa City organizations and government offices, is a food drive and art workshop for the MLK Day of Service at the Iowa City Senior Center.
- Location: Iowa City Senior Center, 28 S Linn St., Iowa City
- Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 19
- Organizers: Iowa City and Black Future Fest collaborators
Pack the Dome: MLK Day of Service, Cedar Falls
The “Pack the Dome” event on the MLK Day of Service asks for volunteers to help make food packs for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank’s Back Pack program, serving more than 3,000 children at 155 schools across northeast Iowa each week. The program provides children assembled bags of meals and snacks that can fit into school bags to children before they go home for the weekend.
- Location: UNI-Dome, 501 Hudson Road, Cedar Falls
- Time: 10-11:30 a.m. Jan. 19
- Organizers: Northeast Iowa Food Bank in partnership with University of Northern Iowa and the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley
Urban Dreams Day of Service, Des Moines
Urban Dreams, a Des Moines nonprofit focused on helping underserved communities, is calling on Iowans to honor MLK Day volunteering at the Urban Dreams building, asking for those interested to sign up for two-hour shifts.
- Location: Wellmark Urban Dreams Community Center, 1615 2nd Ave., Des Moines
- Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 19, two hour shifts available
- Organizers: Urban Dreams
Meals from the Heartland MLK Jr. Day of Service, Des Moines and West Des Moines
Meals from the Heartland, a local organization combating food insecurity, is asking for volunteers to honor MLK Day by helping package meals for people in need in their communities. Iowans can sign up for shifts in both Des Moines and West Des Moines, as well as in the Omaha area.
- Location: Polk County River Place, 2309 Euclid Ave., Des Moines. and Pattie Cownie Center, 357 Lincoln St., West Des Moines
- Time: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 19, 90-minute shifts available
- Organizers: Meals from the Heartland
