St. Petersburg’s MLK parade is one of the oldest in the country, and thousands showed up to pay tribute to the late civil rights activist.

In the year since he last captured the scene around St. Petersburg’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade, local photographer Tre Butler’s life has changed in significant ways.

For one, Buter, who’s known by most as “Junior,” now has a kid of his own. He’s also shot numerous concerts, artists and creatives across the state as he continues to evolve his craft. “It changed my life,” Butler said of the last 12 months.

All that love, and his new outlook on life, is on display in yet another elegant collection of photos he snapped on Ninth Street last Monday where revelers gathered near the heart of the parade, on the very streets Butler grew up on.

UPDATED: 01/18/23 11:15 a.m. Updated to make clear that these photos were captured on Ninth Street, which intersects the heart of the parade route.