The Martin Luther King, Jr. annual march will take place Jan. 25 at 8:30 a.m., starting at a different location than inpast years. This year’s march begins at Lincoln Heights Elementary and finishes at the First United Methodist Church on Main Street.

This year’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration will be sponsored by the Cultural Arts Society of Fuquay-Varina Inc. and the faith community and hosted by the First United Methodist Church of Fuquay-Varina. After the march and breakfast, there will be a formal celebration at 10 a.m. with Rev. Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. from St. August Missionary Baptist Church presiding.

The faith community will come together for the event with pastors from several local churches participating in the celebration. Rev. Dr. Reginald Lowery of the First Baptist Church will read scripture. Rev. Willem Bodisco Massink will lead a prayer and give the benediction. Other local pastors participating in the celebration include Rev. Anne Ahl of the First United Methodist Church of Fuquay-Varina, Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Wood of New Providence Missionary Baptist Church and Rev. Floyd Wicker, Jr. of the First Baptist Church of Raleigh. There will be presentations also by Mayor John Byrne and Chair of the Cultural Arts Society of Fuquay-Varina Inc. Marion Tucker. There will be a breakfast and celebration at 10 a.m. The theme is: “This year it is a day on; not a day off…still moving towards equality for all.”

The planning committee includes Marion Tucker, chair of the Cultural Arts Society; Evelyn Wicker; Barbara Hood; Helen P. Adams; Rev. Nathaniel Wood; Rev. Anne Ahl and Rev. Willem Bodisco Massink.