In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, Milton will have four community events recognizing the civil rights leader. Organized by the Fellowship Churches of Santa Rosa County Inc., each event will feature the theme of ‘Working towards the Dream,’ according to Annie Gilmore, a representative of the organization.
“For us, this is a pretty big deal. This is our biggest event,” Gilbert said.
Residents planning on attending any of these events are encouraged to bring a nonperishable or canned food item, which will be donated to area families in need in honor of Dr. King, according to a press release for the events.
Prayer Breakfast
The weekend kicks off with a Prayer Breakfast on Saturday morning at the Santa Rosa County Auditorium located at 4530 Spikes Way. The breakfast begins at 9 a.m. and will feature multicultural presentations. Tickets are $10 per ticket. The event is hosted by the Fellowship Churches of Santa Rosa County Fundraising committee. For more information, contact Rev. Murray Hamilton by email murrayhamilton55@att.net.
Commemorative Program
Hosted by the Pastors and Ministers’ Wives Organization with the Fellowship organization, the Commemorative Program will take place Sunday, January 17 at the Mt.PilgrimAfricanBaptistChurch, located at 5103 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. In addition to featuring guest speaker Dr. Joseph L. Marshall, the program will crown the 2016 MLK King and Queen and announce this year’s Community Award recipient.
MLK Day Parade
Line up for the annual MLK Day Parade begins at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, January 18 at MiltonHigh School. From there the parade, presented by the Fellowship’s MLK Committee, will begin at 10 a.m. The parade will continue from the high school traveling south on Stewart Street and ending at Elva Street. A $30 parade fee is required for any organization, whether a vehicle, float or walking unit. The fee must be received by Saturday, after the Saturday deadline a $10 fee will be charged. For more information on the parade, contact Annie Gilmore at agilmore5166@bellsouth.net.
MLK Block Party
Following the annual parade on Monday, the MLK Committee will be hosting the MLK Block Party at noon on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. It will feature several booths for nonprofit organizations in a family-oriented atmosphere, Gilmore said. The party will also feature live music from local choirs, food, games and children’s activities. Booth rentals, for nonprofit organization’s only, are available for $25. For more information on the block party, contact Carolyn McCray at Cmccray8725@hotmail.com or Gwen Rhodes at rhodesg@nwflaaa.org.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Things to Do: Weekend events planned for Martin Luther King Day weekend in Milton