MARINA >> Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be celebrated in Marina on the Jan. 20 federal holiday with festivities, food and music.

Recognized the third Monday in January annually, it is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer and improve their communities. It celebrates the life and achievements of King, who was an influential American civil rights leader.

Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado said in addition to honoring the legacy of King, he hopes to see the event “create this opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate in a beautiful, natural environment and, as a tribute, to remind us that Dr. King’s fight for justice and equality didn’t end with his passing — it is an ongoing movement that lives in our actions and values, right here in our community.”

The festivities in Marina are slated to be held at Locke Paddon Park at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Sculpture Garden outside the Marina Library at 190 Seaside Circle. In case of cold weather, the location will be moved to Rocky Han Community Center at 211 Hillcrest Ave. in Marina.

“Cold weather considers temperature, wind, fog, precipitation, and if the venue location changes to the Community Center, it will be posted on the city of Marina and csmc.eco (Communities for Sustainable Monterey County) websites as soon as possible,” said Delgado. “The 14-day forecast looks good as of now.”

The day’s festivities will begin with kid’s events from 10-11:30 a.m., including painting kindness rocks, enjoying live reptiles and amphibians, and participating in a few interactive displays.

From 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., the celebration will have music played by the Monterey County Pops! orchestra which will be performing compositions by African-Americans including “Deep River” by William Grant Still.

Monterey County Pops! is an orchestra dedicated to bringing pops and patriotic music performed by professional musicians free of charge to the families and visitors of Monterey County while identifying, engaging and educating under-served youth of Monterey County.

Known as the “Dean of African-American Composers,” William Grant Still was the first African-American composer to have a symphony performed by a professional orchestra in the U.S., the Symphony No. 1 “Afro-American” (1930). It was premiered by Howard Hanson and the Rochester Philharmonic. The piece’s New York premiere was given by the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in 1935.

He also became the first African-American to conduct a major symphony orchestra in the United States when he led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1936. In the world of opera, his “Troubled Island” was the first by an African-American to be performed by a major opera company (New York City Opera, 1949) and that same opera was the first by an African-American to be nationally televised.

A southern-style luncheon prepared by Kona Jerry’s BBQ Catering from 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m., will include fried chicken, red beans and rice, cornbread and salad, and will be free to the first 250 guests.

“We’re prepared to provide lunch to 250 people and we’ll serve food until we run out,” said Delgado.

An inspiration ceremony will take place from 12:15-12:30 p.m., and will showcase three guest speakers of differing ancestry — Cal State Monterey Bay professors Kamilah Magied, an African American, and Phuong Nguyen, an Asian American, along with Marina community member Steve Zmak, a Caucasian American, according to Mayor Delgado.

“We are really excited about the Monterey County Pops! co-sponsoring this event and we’re thankful to our other co-sponsors Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, and the city of Marina, and Citizens for Sustainable Marina,” he said.