By Jakub Blum / KVSC reporter

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration returns this year with a multi-day celebration with the theme “Our Beloved Community: The Courage to Celebrate Diversity.”  

 The 11th annual MLK Jr. Community Celebration is taking place January 14-16th in the St. Cloud area, with the main event Monday at the River’s Edge Convention Center. Last year’s event had more than 1,600 attendees. The program is led by St. Cloud State University and the city.

The three day celebration includes several ways to get involved and honor the legacy of Dr. King. This is an opportunity for the community to come together, engage in conversation, enjoy a meal and share time together while honoring his dream.

Saturday’s events showcase family activities and will reveal the winners of the Dexter R. Stanton Essay and Visual Arts contest. Sunday’s activities are designed to honor the legacy of Black Churches for their role in the U.S. Civil rights movement, and to provide opportunities for praise and worship within and between various local faith communities in the area.

The Community Celebration ends on MLK Jr. Day at the River’s Edge Convention Center. It’s featuring food, activities for kids, identifying the annual Humanitarian Award winners, opportunities to participate in an annual service project and the keynote speaker.

All activities take place at no cost thanks to support from numerous community partners.