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Annual Plant City MLK Festival Will Pay Tribute To Obama

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By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 6, 2009

PLANT CITY - "Champion of the Dream," the theme of the 23rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Arts Festival, takes on special meaning in the wake of the presidential election, organizers say.

The event, hosted and organized by the Improvement League of Plant City, runs Jan. 16 to 19 and features a variety of activities, including a parade, a street festival and the popular Statewide High School Step Team Competition.

Henry Johnson, president of the nonprofit Improvement League, said the festival celebrates cultural diversity.

"The African-American experience provides an opportunity for people of all colors and backgrounds to gain knowledge and understanding involving black culture," he said.

The theme was selected prior to Barack Obama's victory in the Nov. 4 presidential election.

"While President-elect Obama was running, we chose the theme because of the fact of an African-American being the first to reach that far in the political arena; not knowing he would win, but hoping he would," Johnson said.

Obama's victory "was a dream come true for a lot of people," Johnson added.

Festival events begin at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 16 with the opening ceremony, senior citizen luncheon and photo exhibit at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, 1601 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., site of many of the festival's activities.

At 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16, high school teams from the Bay area and as far away as Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Boca Raton will complete for a $1,000 first prize in the step competition. The event usually packs the Marshall Middle School gymnasium, 15 S. Maryland Ave., Johnson said. Admission is $8.

Immediately after the competition, Alpha Talent Productions of Atlanta will host a party and concert.

Jan. 17 highlights include a street festival with entertainment and vendors from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the recreation center, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Parade at 1 p.m. The hour-long parade will follow a 1.2-mile route that begins at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Waller Street and proceeds east to the recreation center.

Other Jan. 17 events include a car show at 2:30 p.m., concerts at 3 and 7 p.m., and a fashion show at 7:30 p.m. All the events are at the recreation center and are free.

A 7:30 a.m. Jan. 18, a leadership breakfast will be at the Red Rose Inn & Suites' Red Rose Ballroom, 2011 N. Wheeler St. Guest speaker Ricky Gallon is community services manager of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay and a former National Basketball Association player whose sports career began with a club league in Tampa. The $25 cost includes breakfast.

At 5:30 p.m. Jan. 18, a gospel celebration will be at the Trinkle center on the Plant City campus of Hillsborough Community College, 1206 N. Park Road. There is no admission charge.

From 10 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 19, Plant City Photo Archives, 119 N. Collins St., will present "Proudly We Serve," a free photographic tribute to the U.S. military.

Proceeds from festival events go toward Improvement League projects. Projects for 2009 include $1,000 scholarships for four local high school seniors, the annual "Let's Talk About It" conference for 200 local teens, upgrading the Cyber Seniors Computer Lab and ongoing restoration of the Bing Rooming House.

For festival information, go to www.plantcitymlkfestival.com or call the Improvement League at (813) 757-6760.

Festival sponsors include the Plant City Courier & Tribune.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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