Once again, the City will see two parades.

A new beginning may be just a day away in Washington-but this Martin Luther King, Junior Day will look like so many others in Houston. The first of two parades will kick off Downtown at 10 a.m., with some big name Grand Marshals signed up.

"Local Houston Businessman Douglas M. Horn, and Publisher/Motivational Speaker Doctor Anthony Taylor. We have a special honoree this year, Platinum, Grammy Award Winner Chamillionaire," said the MLK Grand Parade Foundation's Charles Stamps.

Up to 400,000 people are expected for the festivities Downtown, and Stamps has some advice if you plan on joining them.

"Dress warm, bring a chair, bring a lunch, you're going to be in for a show," Stamps said.

Meanwhile, the Black Heritage Society will kick off their 31st annual parade at Two PM at MLK and Griggs. An ordinance recently enacted by Houston's City Council allows for only one parade in Downtown Houston on any given day.

"We promised Doctor King's Father we would continue this annually, every year. We also promised him we want not highly commercialize his son's name," said the Society's Ovide Duncantell. "We had the first parade in the City of Houston-matter of fact, the first parade in the nation honoring Doctor King's birthday-and this was ten-years before the holiday."

Despite the differences, Barack Obama's inauguration is a key theme for both celebrations.

"Barack Obama's election is historic-but it would not have been possible had it not been for all Americans supporting him," Stamps said.

"The next day after our parade, I have a Dream, I am the Dream will become a reality," Duncantell said.
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