Garland’s MLK Parade and March scheduled

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Garland unit, will host its 27^th Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. parade and march Saturday, January 16, 2016, beginning at 10 a.m.

The theme for this year’s celebration is: “PURSUING KING’S DREAM IN 2016” and Mr. Scott Herzog, regional director for H&R Block, will serve as the parade’s MLK grand marshal.

The parade route is as follows:

Begins on Dairy Road @ Garden Drive (near Embree Park)

Proceeds north on Dairy Road to Highway 66 (Avenue D)

Turns west (left) on Highway 66 (Avenue D) to First Street

Goes north (right) on First Street to Highway 66 (Avenue B)

Turns west (left) on Highway 66 (Avenue B) to Fifth Street

Turns north (right) on Fifth Street to Main Street

Goes west (left) on Main Street and circle the City Square to Austin Street

Parade ends at the Granville Arts Center, 300 North Fifth Street in downtown Garland

Immediately following the parade and march, Garland’s NAACP will host a commemorative program celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. King. The event will be held at the Granville Arts Center, 300 North Fifth Street in downtown Garland at the site where the parade ends. Garland’s 100-plus voice MLK Citywide Youth Choir, led by clinician Reuben Lael Griffin, will entertain.

Join the celebration again Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. at the Granville Arts Center when youth groups from area churches and the Garland ISD will showcase their spiritual talents in praise dance and athletic talents in step routines.

All events are free and open to the public.

This year’s corporate and community sponsors include: H&R Block; City of Garland; Veritex Bank; Plastic Packaging Inc; Enterprise Holdings Foundation; Huckabee Architecture Engineering Management; Garland Independent School District; Kroger; Woodforest National Bank; Wal Mart; Sweet Home and Sims Chapel Missionary Baptist Churches.