SCHEDULE
8:45am: Opening remarks at Springfield Baptist Church.
9:30am: 10th Annual Parade. Mattie Cooper to N. Cedar Street to Main Street, finishing back on Mattie Cooper at the church.
11:30am: Celebration Service Inside Springfield Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry, Sr., Pastor.
LOCATION
8 Mattie Cooper (Church Street)

This year, the Beacon Free Press’ front page news story about the Martin Luther King Day Celebration at the Springfield Baptist Church shed revived light on the original inspiration for the MLK Day in Beacon.

Say the organizers about the event: "Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and dream during our 10th annual MLK Parade in Beacon. The parade in Beacon was the dream of the late Pete Seeger, activist and local resident of Beacon, who wanted a parade to honor Dr. King, so he founded this wonderful ‘Singing Parade.’ Participants are encouraged to bring signs, flags and musical instruments. For more information, go to the beaconsloop.org." Pete Seeger was a co-founder of the Beacon Sloop Club.

Said the parade representative Bonnie Champion to the Beacon Free Press: “After Pete’s wife Toshi died in July 2013, he came to the Beacon Sloop Club and shared that he was worried that Martin Luther King Day was becoming a day off from school and work, and persons were forgetting this man who changed the world.” The parade began one year later, championed by Bonnie. Pete Seeger never marched in the first parade, but he knew about, it,” Bonnie told the Beacon Free Press. He passed away shortly after on January 27, 2014.

The Southern Dutchess Coalition has held a celebration for the last 46 years, and for the last 10 years, did so with the Beacon Sloop Club. The opening ceremony starts at 8:45am. The parade will step off at 9:30am in front of the Springfield Baptist Church, followed by a Celebration Service at 11:30am with Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry, Sr., Pastor.

The parade route will start at the Springfield Baptist Church on Mattie Cooper Street (aka Church Street) and continue on to N. Cedar Street, where it will turn down Main Street, until it hits Willow Street, then turns on Mattie Cooper Street to end at the Springfield Baptist Church.

The student essay contest is happening again this year, where Beacon students grades 1-12 were asked to write about the following quote: “Only love can overcome hatred, bitterness, and fear. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

The winning students will receive a $50 award sponsored by Rhinebeck Bank. All others will receive a certificate.

For more information, go to beaconsloop.org.