Gwinnett MLK Day Parade returns this year with new route in Lawrenceville
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By Curt Yeomans
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When Gwinnettians line up to either participate in, or watch, the county’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in Lawrenceville on Monday, it will be the first time they’ve been able to do so since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The parade, which is staged by the United Ebony Society of Gwinnett County, is set to begin at noon on Monday at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, which is located at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. The theme for this year’s parade is “Why We Can’t Wait.”
The parade was not held in 2021 because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, last year’s parade was cancelled partially because of a surge in COVID cases, but also because King’s family had asked communities to use the day to focus on getting voting rights legislation passed by Congress instead of holding parades.
The return of the parade this year will come with a key change: there will be a new route that is completely different from the one long-time attendees are familiar with.
The parade will still begin at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration in Lawrenceville, but this year’s route will turn right out of the GJAC property and take Constitution Boulevard to South Perry Street. The parade will then come south down Perry Street and then turn right onto Nash Street.
The parade will then come down the hill on Nash Street until it reaches Gwinnett Drive. It will then turn right onto Gwinnett Drive and come up a hill before turning left into the bus lane at Central Gwinnett High School, where it will end.
An indoor celebration will be held at Central Gwinnett after the parade, starting a 2 p.m.
The parade and celebration will not be the only way Gwinnettians can honor King’s legacy on Monday, however.
Volunteer Gwinnett is offering residents opportunities to volunteer for one of two community service projects which will be held on Monday.
One of those opportunities is a wetlands clean up from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Harbins Park, which is located at 2995 Luke Edwards Road in Dacula.
The other opportunity is a “Pond Protectors” clean-up event from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Shorty Howell Park, which is located at 2750 Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth.
Anyone who is interested in signing up for either event can do so by visiting volunteergwinnett.net.
Additionally, the Upsilon Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. is expected to host an International Day of Service donation drive from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at B.B. Watkins State Farm Agency, which is located at 905 Parkside Walk Lane, Suite 100-B in Lawrenceville.
Community members are invited to stop by and drop off donations of canned food items, hats, scarves, gloves and baby items. The items will be distributed to community organizations that provide assistance to people in need.
