Wondering what to do in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Want to take advantage of the long weekend? The City of Cleveland is offering several free events for the community, and while it may mean a holiday at work or a day off of school, it's much more than that.
"It's that time to pause and reflect not only on Dr. King's legacy and his ethic of service but those thousands of other folks who were working constantly throughout our history for equality and change," said Jeff Griffiths, CEO of HandsOn Northeast Ohio, an organization that helps to organize volunteer opportunities in our area.
To celebrate you can head out to one of Cleveland's well-known institutions and score free admission at several attractions in University Circle.
The Botanical Gardens, the Natural History Museum, The Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall are all offering free admission. You can also catch a free shuttle ride from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from University Circle.
For a different experience, you can head over to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
"The civil rights movement without music probably wouldn't have had near the power," said Dr. Kathryn Metz of the Rock Hall.
The museum expects anywhere from 6,000 to 9,000 people taking advantage of the free admission including four bands playing on their main stage.
Metz added, "So this is a great opportunity for parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles to share the importance of this day with their kids and for kids to be really inspired."
The Great Lakes Science Center will have free admission, and the Cleveland Aquarium will have half off admission with a $1 donation.
If none of those activities are interesting, you can always volunteer.
Griffiths said, "Every single of one us has such immense power to do good and help the community. So now's a great opportunity in this day to think about it."
