Battle of the Bands at MGM Park

And without skipping a beat, the MLK Parade led directly into the city’s annual Battle of the Bands competition.

It’s a tradition that’s been going on for almost 30 years.

Local talent from high school’s and HBCU’s crowded the diamond at MGM Park for a brass showdown.

The Coastwide MLK Committee recognized the hard work of representatives from around the tri-county area as part of the opening ceremony.

Jaleasa Bolden, co-chair of the committee, said it’s never too late to honor Dr. King, especially with COVID affecting efforts to bring people together. “Since 1985, the MLK Coastwide Committee has had Battle of the Bands on the Monday of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday. This year, COVID was high, numbers were high, and we didn’t want to have a big event, so we pushed it back to this Sunday. It’s a great way to kick off Black History Month – it’s a great way to remind the community of the things Dr. Martin Luther King did.”

Information on registering for next year’s events can be found at mlkcoastwide.com.