Organizing Committee Cancels 2021 MLK Parade Due to COVID-19
LAKELAND, FL (September 25, 2020) | The Martin Luther King Junior Parade Committee and the City of Lakeland have made the decision to cancel the upcoming 2021 Reverend Dr. MLK Jr. Parade due to the unknowns and obstacles created by the Coronavirus pandemic.
John Williams, Recreation Supervisor and a member of the parade organizing committee said, “The organizing committee has obvious concerns regarding the pandemic and the unknowns of what impacts the virus may have going forward. This year’s celebration in honor of Dr. King will be a video tribute celebrating his dream, vision, and idea of uniting all communities. We plan to have the video also include highlights from past parades and acknowledge the parade’s history in Lakeland.” A special viewing of the video will take place at the Coleman-Bush Building (1104 Martin L King Junior Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33805) on Saturday, January 16th from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.
Williams added, “The parade organizing committee came up with the idea of a video tribute as a way to continue honoring Dr. King’s legacy during this pandemic. We want to keep the citizens of Lakeland safe and the video tribute will allow the community to still be involved during this unprecedented time.” Past parade participants are strongly encouraged to participate and be part of the video tribute. Those interested in participating are invited to call 863.834.2577 for more information.
The City of Lakeland encourages the public to follow the CDC recommendations for social distancing and hygiene. The City of Lakeland has developed a dedicated webpage with a number of resources to help the community stay informed. You can find this site by visiting www.LakelandGov.net/COVID19.
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About Lakeland
The City of Lakeland was incorporated in January 1885 and has grown to become one of the largest inland communities in Florida. With a current population of over 100,000, Lakeland continues to grow. It has been designated a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census Bureau for over 30 years. With tourist attractions and gulf beaches only an hour away, Lakeland continues to capitalize on its ideal central Florida location along the I-4 corridor. The City owns and operates Lakeland Electric, the third-largest publicly owned utility in Florida and it was one of the first to offer power in the Sunshine State over 110 years ago.
For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please explore lakelandgov.net.
Citizens are also invited to follow the City on social media.