30,000 expected downtown for ‘Living the Dream’ parade

One day before the country marks Barack Obama's inauguration, Las Vegas will honor another famous black American during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade.

Starting at 9:55 a.m. Monday, people will march in the 27th annual parade to the theme, "Living the Dream: For One America."

Parade Chairman Justin Harper said the theme was selected last year but was a good fit through the election year and Obama's election.

"It's history in the making. This is something Dr. King would be elated about," Harper said. "This was his dream."

Harper said he expects about 30,000 people to line the parade route.

"We're there together to celebrate and acknowledge the fact that Dr. King died trying to make peace," he said.

The parade will start at Fourth Street and Gass Avenue and end at the intersection of Fourth and Ogden Avenue.

That section of Fourth Street will be closed starting at 6:30 a.m. and won't reopen until about 2:30 p.m.