Participants in this year's Marade celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day started at the King memorial in City Park and marched down toCivic Center. Three Rocky reporters reported live from the event. Todd Hartman was in City Park; Jerd Smith was at Colfax Avenue and Lafayette Street; and Daniel Chacon was in Civic Center.

1:47p.m.

The official program at Civic Center ended with a birthday song to Martin Luther King Jr. People are still milling about near the vendors and the rest of the crowd is leaving.

1:15 p.m.

Linda Childears, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund, is speaking about the importance of eduction. But hardly anyone is listening. She shouldn't feel as if she has been singled out. Speaker after speaker at Civic Center are being ignored by a large group of people at the end of the marade.

"They need to bee paying attention because this is real important," said Barbara Woods, 44. "This is the beginning of something really, really awesome."

Jason Alexander, 32, and his girlfriend, Courtney Heise, 19, said they should be listening but they're busy "mingling."

"I'm bumping into people I haven't seen in awhile," Alexander said. "There's a lot of sensory overload right now," said Heise, sucking on a blue lollipop.

The crowd seems to be dispersing.

12:12 p.m.

A diverse and eclectic group of people is gathered at the marade arrives at Civic Center.

They include Alonzo Muhammad, who is selling for $1 copies of The Last Call, a newspaper produced by the Nation of Islam.

“We publish the news so we can let everybody know what’s going on in the world,” he said. “We’ve been doing this since 1957. We’ve never been sued so that lets you know that the newspaper is a legitimate newspaper. It’s not slanted.”

Also in the crowd are recruiters with the Denver Police Department. They brought a low rider with hydraulics and a pumping stereo system and a white Corvette. Both cars have police insignia.

“Both of these vehicles we use during community events,” said police Det. John White.

“We use them as way to kind reach out to folks who may be car enthusiasts,” he said. “The younger kids can really relate to fast cars. We kind of use it to show another side of the police department.”

White said he wouldn’t mind taking the Corvette for a spin.

“I would love to take that out and do a little patrol enforcement with it, but unfortunately, it’s not really for that purpose,” he said, laughing.

Casandra Foster, 37, brought her two kids, her niece and her godson to celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Today means a lot because we have two different historic things going on,” she said. “One, Obama being sworn in tomorrow and then today is Martin Luther King Day. It’s big for everybody, not just one race.”

12:06 p.m.

The last big truck has rolled past. The flashing lights of the police cars can be seen descending towards Civic Center Park. One of the last men in the parade wears a red t-shirt with white lettering that reads: “Got Privilege?”

David Boyan, 39, owner of the Caffe Sanora is pleased. “This was the best one,” he says of the parade that has brought thousands of people past his organic coffee shop at Colfax and Lafayette.

“Everybody’s been slow. But this was good. Now I just have to figure out what I want to do for the inauguration tomorrow….maybe I’ll bring in a TV. I don’t know about a TV in a coffee shop,” he says. “But we’ll at least turn on the radio.”

11:35 a.m.

As waves of people arrived at Colfax and Marion, those who had been waiting all morning stepped off the curb to join the parade. "It's a sea of people," said one woman. An African American man dressed in a cowboy shirt made from the American flag, rides a bike along the sidewalk as the Starlight Drill Team marches past, keeping everyone in step.

11:20 a.m.

Glenn Wilson, 54, is a Mason, a member of Centennial Lodge No. 4. As he waits for the parade to approach, Wilson tells a story common to many in Denver these days. The journeyman electrician is out of work. His hope: That Barack Obama will re-start the American economy.

“I built DIA from the ground up,” Wilson said. But after losing his job at Qwest three years ago, he’s only been able to find part-time work here and there. What keeps him going are his friends at the lodge and his work on the board of the Sickle Cell Anemia Association in Denver.

And patience. That’s the hard part, he says.

“You can’t look for a job with attitude,” he says. “You have to keep a smile on your face. And my work on the board helps because you always see people who are worse off than you are.”

11 a.m.

Elinora Reynolds spent the weekend in tears.

“I watched many things on CNN this weekend and all I could do was sit there and cry because I tell you, this country has been through a lot,” she said. “But I think we’re on our way back up again and I am so happy to see this day.”

Reynolds, who is selling reusable water bottles for $10, is among a slowly growing crowd at Civic Center, which is where the Marade will end.

Reynolds’ water bottles contain a small American flag, red and white candy, a Barack Obama button and sunglasses.

“He’s one of the coolest, smartest presidents this country will ever see,” said Reynolds, who is black. “We’re proud to be here on this day to see this happen. This is a phenomenal day for this country.”

Reynolds, who plans to have a life-size picture of Obama next to her table later in the day, said today’s sunny weather is a sign from God.

“I think God is shining down on us right now and telling us this is a good thing,” she said. “This is good for our country. Barack Obama, just like Martin Luther King, Jr., is going to make some positive changes and hopefully change the mindset of people where we can stop looking at each other based on the nature of our skin but on something else. We’re all the same. We’re all the same.”

Reynolds is “50 something” and lives in Aurora.

Stevie and Laura Dunk, who have been married for two years, said they wanted to participate in the Marade but got up a little late.

“We weren’t exactly sure what time it started,” said Stevie Dunk, 31.“By the time we realized what time it was, we just came straight out and we’re waiting for them to come back and reconvene here after the march is over.”

Laura Dunk, 29, said today’s event honoring King feels different with Obama winning the presidency.

“We’re just excited just to see President-elect Obama go into office and also to celebrate Dr. King’s birthday as well. It’s just a different feeling,” she said.

10:45 a.m.

Just about on the nose, the parade steps off. Thousands begin to make their way to Civic Center Park.

10:45 a.m.

Colfax and Marion: About 50 students from PS1 Charter School are gathering, waiting to join the parade. “It’s a big moment,” says Jasmine Zion, 16. A senior, Zion is wearing a black T-Shirt with neon lime green and white lettering that reads: 1:20:09. “There is no reason not to be here today,” she says.

Her classmate, Dvonte Johnson, 13, is jumping up and down, dying for a chance to speak. “I know Obama is going to make a change. There’s been a lot of chaos and damage for the past couple of years. Obama is going to end that. I hope he brings our troops home from Iraq safe. It doesn’t matter who wins or loses," he says.

10:35 a.m.

Sheryl Renee calls this an "annointed day" due to the history to be made tomorrow, the pride felt by African Americans, the march today in Denver and stellar weather.

A graduate of Denver East High school more than 30 years ago, Renee has marched in the marade "as long as I can remember." She is joined by her daughter Ameerh Kindle and granddaughter Emani Fisher. "This is a special day," Renee said.

10:30 a.m.

Colfax and Lafayette: There’s no sign yet of crowds on the parade route but bystanders are gradually choosing their spots along Colfax Ave.

Leatha Ford has been coming to the Martin Luther King Day Parade for 20 years, but like thousands of other African Americans, this year is profoundly different.

“I feel real good about this,” said Ford, 55. “My mother didn’t live to see this day. But it feels good. We’ve made progress.”

Like others, Ford has great hope and deep worries about Barack Obama’s presidency. “My hope is that he doesn’t let us down,” she said, reverting to the “old boy ways,” of previous administrations.

Her fear is that he will be harmed. “I’m praying every day,” she said. “I hope he makes it through.”

10:09 a.m.

Tthe National Anthem is sung and people are slowing beginning to for a parade line.

10:05 a.m.

"This seems like a good year to walk in the parade," said Mark Pocernich, 41, of Denver. In the aftermath of the election Pocernich wants to see if there is a "change in tone" in the marade, making it "more hopeful, more optimistc." He anticipates there "would be more celebration" in this year's march.

10 a.m.

Civic Center is largely empty at the moment, but it will be brimming with people when today’s Marade honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., ends at the downtown park.

The annual event is expected to draw a record turnout, said Dwayne Fisher, 21, a volunteer overseeing the vendors.

“There are people from all over the state coming, and with the weather as nice as it is, they’re supposed to be expecting record numbers,” he said. “All of this will end up being packed with people.”

Among the vendors who are busy setting up is Elet Valentine, 35.

Valentine, a Denver native, is selling an assortment of t-shirts emblazoned with pictures of President-elect Barack Obama and the future first family. The t-shirts range from $15 to $20.

“I’m not trying to gouge the people because everyone wants a piece of history, and with the economic times, I’m just trying to make it affordable for everyone to have something to hold on to,” she said.

The t-shirts selling for $20 feature Obama’s face in either rhinestone or metallic gold foil

Fisher and Valentine, who are both black, said a portion of King’s dream has been fulfilled with the election of Obama, whose inauguration is tomorrow.

“Bringing a person of color into office, especially the president, is an extreme thing,” Fisher said.

Although blacks have made strides, Valentine said the country still has a long way to go.

“We’re not in a post-racial America,” she said. “We’re still in a pre-racial America.”

9:45 a.m.

Obama sings dot the growing crowd, along with signs that read "Happy Birthday Martin" and "Let us be more like King." Speakers are beginning to fire up those gathering at City Park Park.

9:05 a.m.

Crowds are trickling into City Park, gathering around Martin Luther King Jr.‘s statue and listening to his taped speeches broadcast on loudspeakers in the park.

Gorgeous weather could drive up turnout.

9:30 a.m.

Colfax Avenue is quiet this morning as people gear up for the work day and the giant parade. At Caffe Sanora, at Colfax and Lafayette, barrista Drew Livigni serves a customer and prepares the small shop for what he hopes will be a big day.

“It’s been a little busier than it usually is this early,” Livigni says, as an old Cat Stevens tunes play in the background.

9:19 a.m.

Trudy McClendon-Pugh is part of the early arrivers at City Park. She comes in honor of her deceased mother, Kathamay Hart, who participated in the march on Washington in 1963. She is wearing one of her mom’s old I Have a Dream buttons and holding a framed black and white picture of King.

This is her first Marade in many years. “This year is special,” she said, because tomorrow’s inauguration of Barack Obama will complete her mother’s dream to see an African American in the nation’s “highest house.”

McClendon-Pugh, 54, is here “to respect my mother, to let her know her dream has came true.”

9:10 a.m.

Rory McKenzie, 68, was watching the Marade crowd gather from atop his bicycle in City Park, soaking up the moment.

He was just a teenager when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his I Have a Dream speech.

“I m old enough to remember most of the stuff going on at that time,” said McKenzie of Denver.

His first son was born on the day King was assassinated.

He’s been coming to the Marade for 15 years and enjoys watching “all the different people come out here, all the nationalities. It's everybody celebrating a worthy cause.”

McKenzie, who is black, is eager for inauguration day tomorrow.

“Its a wonderful day tomorrow,” he said. “I’ll be glued in front of the TV.”

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