The Coastwide Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, which began Thursday with a “Power in Pumps” women’s symposium at the Biloxi Visitors Center, continues its march through the weekend with events leading up to Monday, with the MLK parade and Battle of the Bands at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
“We try to move events around each year, since we’re Coastwide,” says MLK celebration director Allytra Perryman, “and this year, the things people talk about the most, the parade and Battle of the Bands are Monday, are Monday at the Coast Coliseum, but there’s so much more to see and do.”
For instance, she says, “The Village: A Social Justice Symposium” takes place Saturday from 8:30 to 2 p.m. at Moss Point High School, followed by the MLK Choir Gospel Inspirational, featuring guest speaker Mike Espy, at Greater Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.”
The Battle of the Bands Monday will be prefaced by an 11 a.m. parade that wraps around the Coast Coliseum. The bands will parade directly into the Coliseum itself for a program. Among the bands participating this year: Alcorn State University, Talladega College, and high school bands from New Orleans, Mobile, Jackson, and Moss Point.
There is a $5 admission fee to see the Battle of the Bands.
This year’s MLK theme is “Don’t just see the dream, be the dream.” Says Perryman: “It is an educational tool, with such things as a youth summit, a summit for families and other events to help people understand the history of Dr. King and what we can do the move forward, to move towards equality for everyone.”
See the Coastwide MLK lineup
See the Coastwide MLK website
City Desk: Hear the inside story on Coastwide MLK celebration
News & notes: Weekend, Council, week in review, Jim Hill
Weekend preview: Miranda Lambert appears at the Coast Coliseum, where you’ll also find a gun show this weekend. To see the complete lineup of headliners in town, click here. To see the city’s monthly Community Calendar, click here.
City Council: The City Council will meet Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 at City Hall. To see the meeting agenda and supporting documents, click here.
Weekly report: Ever wonder what occurs in Biloxi during a given week? The construction, the emergency medical calls, the police calls, the fires? The city departments of Police, Fire, Community Development and Engineering have the detailed story. To see their reports, click here.
Jim Hill: One of the bands scheduled to appear at the MLK parade and Battle of the Bands entertained during the 2019 Krewe of Neptune Parade. To see the Jim Hill High School Marching Band, from Jackson, performing at City Hall, click here.
