Two events celebrating the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are set for the Picayune area.

The first is being held by the Pearl River County Chapter of NAACP. The organization is gearing up to hold its inaugural Pre-MLK Day, and it’s set for Saturday Jan. 13.

The new event will take place the weekend prior to Martin Luther King Day celebrations set for Monday.

The program will be held at the Pleasant Valley Missionary Baptist Church at 6 p.m.

Ruby Stubbs organizer for the program said the guest speaker for the evening would be the Pastor of Newness of Life Ministry in Picayune, Elder Donald Hart.

Stubbs said that singing performances will be featured during the evening. She said she is currently looking for choirs and soloists to perform during the event.

On Monday, Jan. 15 the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Committee in Picayune will have its annual parade, a celebration that will honor the memory of the well-known civil rights activist.

The parade will start at 10 a.m. from the Rose of Sharon Church of God in Christ, located at 500 N. Beech St., and conclude at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, located at 501 Weems St., according to previous coverage.

Line up for the parade will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. and buses will be available at Pleasant Valley beginning at 8:30 a.m. to provide marchers a ride to Rose of Sharon.

After the parade, a service will follow at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, after which dinner will be served to all participants. Additional festivities and performances will follow the service at JP Johnson Park.