University of Denver students joined thousands in downtown Denver to march in the 24th annual “marade,” one of many events in the area honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

Though many important members of the African-American community and the Martin Luther King Coalition were in Washington, D.C. for today’s inauguration of Barack Obama, a record number of people gathered in City Park to march in this year’s marade. Among these marchers was a small group of DU students organized by the Center for Multicultural Excellence.

“It is great to see so many people out here to celebrate a cause that we believe in,” freshman Stephanie Olmstead said.

More than 100 metro groups and organizations participated in the event. Special appearances in the parade included Mrs. Denver and the Starlights performance group, whose members carried the unlit torch in honor of King that has passed through all counties in Colorado.

The marade began in City Park at 10 a.m. and ended with a rally in Civic Center Park around noon.

According to Tamara Banks, the master of ceremonies, the Denver marade is one of the largest parades in honor of King in the country, and this year’s was the largest turnout in 10 years.

Marchers embraced the warm weather and sported T-shirts celebrating King as well as incoming president Barack Obama. Several carried signs displaying anti-war messages and other political ideas. The most prominent were those in support of Obama.

Among the speakers that began the marade was Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. He expressed his gratitude for the weather and excitement for the large crowd.

The rally that followed the march included speeches by several members of the Denver community, including Vern Howard, special events chairman of the MLK Coalition, and Linda Childers, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund.

According to Howard, the term marade was coined because this event is a march and a parade. By definition a march is a demonstration, and participants are still fighting injustices in the world, such as genocides. A parade is a celebration, and this event is a celebration of how far the country has come. He also expressed his excitement for the beginning of a new time with Obama as president.

Speakers expressed hope for the future because King’s dream is becoming a reality with the inauguration of the first African-American president today.

The rally also included local performers, including singer Brittney Williams. The rally finished with a birthday song for King.

Though the marade is the largest event in the community celebrating King, there are other events that took place during the weekend.

The Lamont Symphony Orchestra presented A Tribute to Black Americans in Music Performance at DU’s Newman Center for the Performing Arts, featuring Metropolitan Opera Stars Leona Mitchell and George Shirley. The concert’s finale featured a piece composed by Ozie Cargile II named “The Audacity of Hope,” after Obama’s book.

“The concert was inspiring and moving. The music was a great way to honor King,” said freshman Caitlin Farell.