Plant City Celebrates Legacy, Honors Memory Of Martin Luther King

PLANT CITY, FL -- Plant City's 33rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Arts Fest, hosted by the Improvement League of Plant City, continues this weekend with the MLK Freedom Parade and MLK Street Festival.

An opening ceremony for the weekend's events will take place Friday, Jan. 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Marshall Middle School, 18 S. Maryland Ave., Plant City, which was originally founded as Marshall High School in the 1950s, serving as a segregated high school.

The opening ceremony will feature the IB Lincoln Elementary School Choir and Marshall's own Gentlemen's Quest.

This year's parade theme is "Unity Starts Here: The Work Continues." The parade will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19 at the corner of Wheeler Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Featuring bands, floats, vintage cars, dance troupes and dignitaries, the parade runs 1.4 miles east along MLK Boulevard to the Plant City MLK Recreation Center, 1601 E. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd. (note: adjacent streets will close at 12:30 p.m.)

The street festival also takes place Saturday from 11 a..m. to 8 p.m. at the MLK Recreation Center's sports complex. The city has demolished the old recreation center and construction is underway on a new $4 million MLK Community Center. However, the street festival will still be held at the sports complex fields.

In past years, more than 4,000 people have attended the event featuring live music, food vendors and vendors displaying arts, crafts, African clothing, purses, soaps, jewelry and health-care products.

At 3 p.m., the annual Plant City MLK Drumline Battle of the Bands will get underway. Local high school and middle school drumline units will battle for cash prizes and trophies.

The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy will continue Sunday, Jan. 20 with the annual MLK Leadership Breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Trinkle Center on the Plant City campus of Hillsborough Community College, 106 Park Road, Plant City.

The breakfast is an opportunity to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy of service and be inspired to live out his dream. Each year, more than 350 dignitaries, local business leaders, faith-based leaders and residents gather to celebrate Plant City's progress toward equality for all residents.

This year's keynote speaker is Liesta Sykes with the Florida Department of Children & Families. Tamara Shamburger, chairwoman of the Hillsborough County School Board, will be the mistress of ceremonies. The breakfast also will recognize a community civil rights champion with the Jerry Bailey President's Award (to be announced that morning). Bettye Goodwine will be the recipient of the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Service Award. Lagretta Snowden will receive the E.L. Bing Educator of the Year award. And Yvonne Fry will accept the MLK Leadership Award.

The breakfast will be catered by Steph’s Soul Food Restaurant. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased here.

Then, from 4 to 6 p.m., the MLK Gospel Music Fest will take place at St. Mary's Community Chuarch on Laura Street.

The celebration will continue on Monday, Jan. 21, the federal MLK holiday, with an MLK Day of Community Service. Participants will gather at 7:30 a.m. at the Bing Rooming House Museum.

Images via Improvement League

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