In celebration of a civil rights icon, on Monday, the streets of downtown Minden will be lined with spectators for the 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade.
The deadline to enter is 6 p.m. Thursday.
The parade will begin at 10 a.m., Monday, in downtown Minden. MLK Celebration Chairperson Fayrine Kennon-Gilbert said the parade will follow its normal route, beginning and ending at the water tower in downtown Minden.
Types of organizations that can sign up include churches, sororities and fraternities, civic organizations, clubs, elected and government officials, junior high and senior high school bands, school organizations, riding, car or motorcycle clubs, drill, or dance teams or other.
Each entry must have a sign or banner for judges to identify.
Prizes to be awarded will be first, second and third place in these categories: best junior high and senior high band performances, best decorated float, best decorated car and most spirited entry.
The grand marshal of the parade will be Minden High School’s Boys Head Basketball Coach Rennie Bailey.
He is a 1979 graduate of MHS, and was a Louisiana Tech basketball legend. Bailey has held coaching jobs at Nicholls State, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette and Stephen F. Austin, among others. He has more than 20 years of experience as a coach on the collegiate level.
The parade will be followed by the youth rally and forum at the Minden Civic Center, approximately 11 a.m.
“The youth rally will be an open forum,” she said. “We will present the awards for the various contests, and several Minden natives will be coming to speak at the forum.”
Entry forms can be mailed to MLK Celebration, 417 Martin L. King Jr. Drive, Minden, LA 71055, faxed to 318-377-0068 or emailed to [email protected].