City of Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens ’85 will serve as the featured speaker for the 41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in the JMA Wireless Dome at Syracuse University. This year’s theme is “The Dream Lives Here.”
Tickets are now available. Due to limited seating, guests are encouraged to reserve their tables and seats as soon as possible.
The annual event is known as the largest of its kind on any college campus. The dinner program seeks to honor the life and legacy of a leader who brings hope and healing to our world and is a direct expression of Syracuse University’s commitment to advancing academic excellence at a university welcoming to all.
“Dr. King’s dream truly does live here—and it continues to guide us. As we mark the 41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, we are honored to welcome Mayor Sharon Owens as our keynote speaker,” says Alison Murray, assistant dean for student assistance at Hendricks Chapel and this year’s MLK Celebration chairperson. “Her historic election as Syracuse’s first Black mayor affirms that Dr. King’s dream is alive and thriving in our community. We invite everyone to join us as we honor his legacy and recommit to making that dream a reality.”
Owens was sworn into office on Jan. 3, 2026. Owens, originally from Geneva, New York, studied economics at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and was an avid athlete on the women’s track and field team. Since graduating from the University, Owens carved her path in Syracuse as an advocate for community members, holding positions at several well-known nonprofits, including PEACE, Inc., Jubilee Homes, Home Headquarters and Syracuse Community Connections at the Southwest Community Center.
Mayor Owens joined the City of Syracuse staff in 2010 as the deputy commissioner for neighborhood and business development. She was later appointed by then Mayor Ben Walsh as the deputy mayor, overseeing the city’s Neighborhood and Business Development committee and the police and fire departments.
Owens was elected mayor by a landslide, gaining 73.8% of the vote. Her win and tenure set the stage for her speech at Syracuse University with the theme, “The Dream Lives Here.”
“I am honored and excited to serve as the featured speaker for the 41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration,” Owens says. “This event is a powerful opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s enduring legacy and recommit ourselves to the principles of justice, equality and unity that he championed.”
Along with Owens’ address, the 2026 program will include student and community group performances and a presentation of this year’s Unsung Hero Awards.
Dinner buffets will open at 5 p.m. and will be held near the JMA Dome’s west end zone. Guests can enter the Courtside Lounge and Suites entrance located between Gates A and B. Halal, kosher, gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available. All guests will remain at the tables for the program.
Ticket purchase options are as follows:
All tickets will be assigned a table number at the time of purchase, which will be included in the mobile tickets. Guests interested in sitting with friends are recommended to purchase tickets together to ensure the same table assignment.
Guests may order up to eight (8) dinner and program tickets online. To purchase one full table (eight seats), select eight (8) total tickets and proceed to checkout. To purchase more than one table or more than eight individual tickets, or if experiencing difficulties, please call the JMA Dome Box Office at 1.888.DOME.TIX (315.443.2121), option two.
Buy tickets online at mlk.syr.edu, in person at the Dome Box Office inside Gate B at 900 Irving Ave. (Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or by phone (888.DOME.TIX or 315.443.2121, option two). Tickets will be mobile this year and uploaded directly to your MyCuse account to manage upon purchase. View the step-by-step guide on mobile ticketing for more information.
Free parking is available in the Irving Avenue Garage, the Raynor Lot, Henry Lot and the Standart Lot. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, AIRA and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available for the event.
For more information about the MLK Celebration or to request accommodations, contact Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901. Learn more about this and other Hendricks Chapel events by visiting chapel.syracuse.edu