After 2020's COVID-19 Cancellation, Martin Luther King Jr. Day Events Return In Sarasota

SARASOTA, FL — After being canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual weekend-long schedule of events commemorating the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. returns this year, the Sarasota MLK Celebration Committee said in a news release.

The celebration runs Friday through Monday with a full schedule of programming and events, including the following:

• Grand opening of First Home Bank, 1782 Dr. MLK Way, Sarasota, Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The bank will serve as a one-of-kind loan production office and financial resource center for the Newtown community. The grand opening event will include a food truck, refreshments, the bank’s mascot, cash prizes and musical entertainment.
• 2022 Sarasota Health Fair, 1781 Dr. MLK Way, Sarasota, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hosted by the Gulf Coast Medical Society, Jetson Grimes and the Sarasota MLK Celebration Committee, the 2022 Sarasota Health Fair will feature 20 health-related resources such as flu shot administration, ambulance tours, prostate cancer screenings and cancer prevention services that will be provided by Shots in Arms Coalition, the CenterPlace Health, the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota and the Multicultural Health Institute.
• Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Temple Emanu-EL, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, Sunday, 2 p.m. This is a free in-person and virtual event that will feature poetry readings, music performances by “The Soul Sensations” and renditions of Dr. King’s iconic speeches by Rev. Charles McKenzie. Advanced registration is encouraged and can be completed online at www.sarasotatemple.org no later than Friday. The event will also be shown virtually at this link. This event is co-sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast and Community Awards at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th Street, Sarasota, Monday, 7:30 a.m. The returning theme for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast and Community Awards is “Love All, Accept All.” This year’s keynote speaker is Rabbi Michael Shefrin, associate rabbi at Temple Emanu-EL. Single tickets are $25, a table of 8 is $200 and a table of 10 is $250 and can be purchased online at 2022MLKBreakfast.Eventbrite.com. All tickets must be purchased in advance.
• Historic Unity Walk, Monday, 11 a.m. The historic unity walk will immediately follow the Commemorative Breakfast and Community Awards. Participants will visit historic Newtown sites and tour Booker High School before returning to the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex to enjoy tributes, entertainment and food at the amphitheater.

Founded in 1987, the Sarasota MLK Celebration Committee is dedicated to honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Funds generated through its mission are used for awarding scholarships to low-income minority students in pursuit of higher education. More than 50 scholarships have been given.