This coming weekend will see several events, including an annual breakfast and parade, in observance of the life of the late Martin Luther King Jr.

The Wilkes County observances will begin with the annual United Community Awareness Program (UCAP) annual breakfast on Saturday, January 16, at the Third Shiloh building on McLendon Drive in Washington, at 8:30 a.m. With the theme, “A Reality Dreamer,” Pastor Antwion Yowe of Cordele, Georgia, will be the keynote speaker. The Virtuous Women of Praise of Washington and AKAPELLA of Columbia, S.C., will present the music.

The annual MLK program will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, January 17, at Springfield Baptist Church. Rev. Norman Williams is pastor. Rev. Dr. Samuel Duggan and the Greater Level Hill Baptist Church and Choir will be in charge of the service.

The UCAP parade is set for Monday, January 18, at 1 p.m. Lineup will begin at noon at the old Washington-Wilkes school complex on Hospital Drive. Entries are $10 each.

As in years past, representatives are sought from each church in the community to join in preparations for the celebration. For more information, contact Edward Chenault, president, at 706-678-7494, Rachel Jackson at 706-318-6873 or Adrienne Anderson at 706-990-9876.

In last year’s observance, people from all over Washington- Wilkes came out for the annual Martin Luther King birthday parade and groups of children, church groups, car clubs, beauty queens and local VIPs filled a long line of cars and trucks for the annual parade.