Organizers have retooled this year’s annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by holding activities all weekend long. The Salisbury-Rowan Human Relations Council and its many volunteers have in the past held a breakfast, parade, memorial ceremony and other activities on the same day.
Moving the parade to a Saturday is a chance to bring more people downtown and encourage patronage of local merchants, John Mitchell, the group’s chairman, told City Council on Tuesday.
The change also gives families a chance to enjoy the events all weekend together, said City Human Resources Analyst Alisha Byrd, who is also a liaison to the Salisbury-Rowan Human Relations Council.
Byrd said the hope is that the Rowan community will want to become more involved and support the events during the weekend.
Tickets for the breakfast can be purchased in advance or Jan. 20 at the J.F. Hurley YMCA, where the event will be held.
Anyone who would like buy a ticket before the breakfast can do so at the following locations:
• The Bible Bookstore, 314 S Main St., Salisbury
• Salisbury-Rowan County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, 204 East Innes St., Suite 120, Salisbury
• Rowan County Administration Building, Human Resources Office, 130 W. Innes St., Salisbury
• Salisbury City Hall, 217 S. Main St., Salisbury
The activities for the celebration are as follows:
• Friday, Jan. 17, 1 p.m.
W.G. “Bill” Hefner V.A. Medical Center will host a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. The celebration will be held in the Social Room, Building No. 6, located at 1601 Brenner Ave.
• Saturday, Jan. 18, 11 a.m.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade will be held at the corner of Kerr and North Main streets and will end at Livingstone College.
Following the parade, activities celebrating King will be held from 12:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Miller Recreation Center located at 1420 West Bank St.
• Sunday, Jan. 19, 3 p.m.
Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1920 Shirley Ave., will host the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Awards.
• Monday, Jan. 20, 7:30 a.m.
The Salisbury-Rowan Human Relations Council will host the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast and Program. The breakfast will be held at the J. F. Hurley YMCA, 828 West Jake Alexander Blvd. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased in advance or the day of the event.
• Monday, Jan. 20, 9:30 a.m.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Ceremony will be held at Oak Grove Freedman’s Cemetery located at the corner of Liberty and North Church streets.
For more information, visit www.srhrc.org, call 704-638-5217 or 704-638-5220.