MLK Festival schedule
The 2020 Plant City MLK Festival will officially kick off Jan. 11, 2020, and the Improvement League of Plant City has made the schedule available on its website.
Jan. 11-25
Selfie tour — local sites
Jan. 11
1:30-3:30 p.m.: IMPACT Conference at Greater New Hope Anointed Ministries, 2104 Mud Lake Road
Jan. 17
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Opening ceremony at Marshall Middle School, 18 S. Maryland Ave.
Jan. 18
11 a.m.-8 p.m.: Freedom Parade, concerts, drumline battle, vendors and more at MLK sports complex
Jan. 19
7:30-9:30 a.m.: MLK Leadership Breakfast at Trinkle Center, 1206 N. Park Road (Tickets $35)
4-6 p.m.: Gospel Fest at location to be announced
Jan. 20
7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: MLK Day of Community Service at Bing House Museum, 205 S. Allen St.
4:30-5:30 p.m.: Room dedication at Bing House Museum
Jan. 25
10 a.m.-1 p.m.: MLK Boardwalk to Better Health Fair at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 604 W. Ball St.
For anyone interested in marching in the 2020 Plant City MLK Festival’s Freedom Parade, now is the time to apply.
One of the biggest highlights of the festival, which runs from Jan. 11-25, 2020, the 34th annual Freedom Parade will hit the streets of downtown Plant City from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 18, 2020. The 1.4-mile route begins at the corner of Wheeler St. and Dr. MLK Boulevard near Wells Fargo and ends at what will soon be the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center next to Marshall Middle School.
To apply, visit plantcitymlkfestival.com to download the application form on the site’s home page or call the Improvement League of Plant City at 813-704-5800 or 813-757-6760 for more information. The deadline to apply is Jan. 10, 2020. See the application form for rules.
For those who just want to watch the parade, the MLK Festival’s recommended hangout spots include the Wells Fargo parking lot, the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center parking lot, the parking area on the corner of Collins Street and Dr. MLK Boulevard, Samuel Cooper Park, the Bing House, Charlow Funeral Home and the Marshall Middle School gym area.
Food Truck Rally returning
Food fans need not wait any longer for Plant City’s monthly Food Truck Rally to come back to McCall Park.
The rally returns at 5 p.m. Jan. 31 and all are invited to “break your New Year resolutions” with a “cheat day” featuring The Kitchen by Devin Davis, Wicked Oak BBQ, The Chicks’ Coop, The Famous Greek Food Truck, the Bacon Boss, Sawadee Thai Food, Coco’s Food Truck, The Melt Machine, Engine 53 Pizza and Craving Donuts.
The event will still be held at 5 p.m. on the last Friday of each month at the eastern edge of the park, 100 N. Collins St. The dates are as follows:
- Jan. 31
- Feb. 28
- March 27
- April 24
- May 29
- June 26
- July 31
- Aug. 28
- Sept. 25
- Oct. 30
As always, the rally wraps up in October for a two-month hiatus.