The Mississippi Valley State University marching band will participate in Charleston's 15th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade on Sunday, Jan. 16, Mayor Sedrick Smith announced Monday.
The parade will get underway at 3 p.m., he added.
The 2021-22 edition of the MVSU marching band, known as the "Mean Green Marching Machine," is about 110 members strong, according to a school spokesperson.
Charleston's King Day parade is normally held on the federal holiday, which is observed each year on the third Monday of January. However, Smith said the Valley band was booked for another engagement on Jan. 17, so organizers decided to move up the date of the local event to enable them to attend.
The mayor said a considerable amount of effort went into securing the band's appearance in the Charleston parade.
He credited the parade committee for reaching out to MVSU marching band interim director Devanon Fitzgerald to request the band's participation. Smith said, "Mr. Fitzgerald gladly accepted."
"We are very excited and honored to bring them to the city of Charleston," noted Smith. "This is a way for our community to witness a university band as well as [to promote] recruitment for this historical university."
One of the organizers of the parade is Smith's sister, Carolyn Johnson, who said anyone who wishes to be a part of the 2022 MLK Day parade is invited to do so. There is no entry fee.
"Churches, clubs, groups, organizations and anyone else that would like to participate in the parade are welcome," she noted.
For more information about joining the procession, contact Johnson at 662-647-1346 or Lillie Smith at 662-625-2055.
