How to observe MLK Day in the Fayetteville area
Several events in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day are slated for the Fayetteville area through Monday.
Whether attending a parade, taking part in a prayer breakfast or volunteering for a worthy cause, there's plenty to do in observance of Dr. King's birthday.
Fayetteville
MLK Parade
The 30th annual MLK Parade in downtown Fayetteville begins at 10 a.m. Saturday on Hay Street. The parade runs a half-mile route beginning at Dick Street, down Person Street, through the Market House roundabout and then on to Hay Street and ending at Pittman Street. Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright is the grand marshal.
MLK Day of Celebration and Dreams
MLK Day of Celebration and Dreams, a day of unity and commemoration, follows the Fayetteville Martin Luther King Jr. parade at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Smith Recreation Center, 1520 Slater Ave. The event features awards, games, food, dancing, and conversations for all ages, bridging the generational gap and fostering connections among veterans, civilians and youth.
Dr. MLK & Entrepreneurship Celebration
The first Dr. MLK & Entrepreneurship Celebration is Saturday at the Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center, 300 Maiden Lane, from noon to 3 p.m. The free event honors Dr. King and shares his passion for economic and financial freedom for Black Americans. Some of the topics to be discussed are Fayetteville’s new Amazon plant, the benefits of having a limited liability company or LLC, how to legally protect your business and personal interests, and the global logistics and trucking industries.
Lunch On Us
Lunch On Us-A Day of Service, hosted by Carl Pbm Pringle, Marques Davis and Ilana Sheppard, is at Festival Park, 335 Ray Ave., from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday. The free event will have catered food and promote positivity.
Dr. MLK Jr. Worship Service & Prayer Brunch
The Fayetteville Cumberland County Ministerial Council is hosting the 31st Annual Dr. MLK Jr. Worship Service & Prayer Brunch on Sunday and Monday. The worship service is at 5 p.m. Sunday at Lewis Chapel MBC. The prayer brunch is at 10 a.m. Monday in the Crown Expo Center at the Crown Complex, 1960 Coliseum Drive. For tickets to the brunch visit https://www.fccmc.net/.
Partnership360 Community Outreach
Partership360, a subsidiary of Rapha Ministries Family Center, is hosting a community outreach event Monday at 2604 Southern Ave. The Community Development Corporation is providing hot meals and health resources to the community and is looking for volunteers. Message the Partnership 360 event page on Facebook to volunteer.
MLK Day of Service Youth Extravaganza
The Fayetteville/Cumberland Ministerial Council and Fayetteville nonprofit, thegroupTheory Inc. host the MLK Youth Talent Showcase on Monday in the Crown Arena at the Crown Complex, 1960 Coliseum Drive. The talent show, featuring Cumberland County students, is at 1 p.m.
Spring Lake
Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Memorial
The Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Memorial, presented by the Spring Lake Ministerial Alliance and the town of Spring Lake, is 9 a.m. Friday at the Spring Lake Recreation Center, 245 Ruth St. Admission to the breakfast is free and will include appearances from guest speakers.
Dunn
MLK Holiday Observance
The NAACP and Harnett County's Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Committee are hosting the 26th annual MLK Holiday Observance on Monday beginning with breakfast at 8 a.m. at the Dunn Community Building, 205 Jackson Road in Dunn. A parade begins at 11 a.m. in the 100 block of West Broad Street with a rally at Dunn City Hall, 401 E. Broad St. at 11:30 a.m. The day ends with an NAACP Community Problem Solving Summit from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dunn Community Building. There will be keynote speakers at the day's events and food trucks on site.
Elizabethtown
Unity in the Community
Unity in the Community is a four-day event Friday through Monday in the Mt. Olive Community with food, live performances and a parade. Gates open at 361 Lewis Drive in Elizabethtown each day at noon. The event is free, but donations are accepted. The events start Friday with Seafood Night, followed by a Saturday and Sunday filled with live music, ending Monday with a parade.
Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade in Elizabethtown is Monday. Parade entrants will gather at 9 a.m. at 805 W, Broad St. with kickoff at 11 a.m. This is the 35th year of the parade. Miss North Carolina 2024, Mariel Lee, is the grand marshal and Jr. Miss North Carolina, Alecia Holloway, is the junior marshal.
Public safety reporter Joseph Pierre can be reached at jpierre@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: MLK Jr. Day events in the Fayetteville area
