Updated for 2023: City Hall and most municipal offices will be closed on Jan. 16, in observation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday. Public safety and emergency services will remain in operation.
But do you have to take out the trash on the MLK holiday? No. Scroll down to learn the history behind that.
Recycling and garbage will not be collected on Monday, Jan. 16. Residents who normally receive a collection service on a Monday or Tuesday will slide to one day later. Monday collections will be picked up on Tuesday, Jan. 17, Tuesday collections will be picked up on Wednesday, Jan. 18, Wednesday will be collected on Thursday, Jan. 19, Thursday will be collected on Friday, Jan 20, and Friday will be collected on Saturday.
Why is there no trash collection on the MLK holiday?
When he was killed, Dr. King had come to Memphis to lead a nonviolent demonstration in support of the striking sanitation workers. In honor of that, San Antonio's MLK March has historically been led by a sanitation truck from the city's Department of Solid Waste Management, as you can see in this 2010 photo:
Martin Luther King Jr.’s final and unfinished crusade was his Economic Bill of Rights, also known as the Poor People’s Campaign. Learn more in this NOWCastSA article.
Other City services will operate as follows:
Open:
- Police will be on duty
- Municipal Court magistration services and SAPD's detention center
- Fire and EMS personnel will be on duty
- 3-1-1 Call Center will be operational from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and from 5-11 p.m. for urgent animal concerns and traffic signal malfunctions by pressing option 1.
- Animal Care Officers will be on duty
- Code Enforcement Officers will be available for inspections and emergency coverage
- Downtown parking visitors will enjoy an on-street parking meter holiday. Regular rates apply for City operated lots and garages.
- La Villita and Market Square shops
- City parks and trails
Closed:
- SAPD’s Administration and Records Section
- SAFD Administrative Offices
- San Antonio Municipal Court
- All Metro Health clinics
- Animal Care Services Lobby and Adoption Center
- Housing Assistance Hotline
- Homeless Connections Hotline (210-207-1799)
- All Senior/Adult Comprehensive Centers and Senior Nutrition Sites
- Willie Velasquez, Claude Black and Frank Garrett community centers
- Child Care Services administrative offices
- Head Start administrative offices and school district sites
- Pre-K 4 SA Centers, CEO and corporate office
- Dead animal collection crews will be off duty
- Recycling, organics recycling, and garbage for Monday, Jan.16 will be collected on Tuesday, Jan.17, Tuesday, Jan.17 will be collected Wednesday, Jan.18, Wednesday, Jan.18 will be collected on Thursday, Jan.19, Thursday, Jan.19 will be collected on Friday, Jan. 20, and Friday, Jan. 20 will be collected on Saturday, Jan. 21.
- Bitters and Nelson Gardens Brush Recycling
- Bulky waste collection centers and household hazardous waste sites (Frio City Rd., Rigsby and Culebra)
- The Darner Headquarters and Park Reservations Office
- City of San Antonio Community Centers, the Natatorium, Fairchild and McFarlin Tennis Centers and the Barrera Community Fitness Center
- Fitness in the Park classes
- Office of the City Clerk, Passports, Vital Records and Municipal Archives and Records
- Alamodome Offices and Box Office
- Central Library and all branch libraries
- Development Services Department
- Office of Historic Preservation
- Planning Department
- Neighborhood and Housing Services
- The Carver Community Cultural Center
- Spanish Governor’s Palace
- La Villita and Market Square Administrative Offices
- Centro de Artes Gallery at Market Square
- Culture Commons Gallery at Plaza de Armas