The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration at Seattle Center presents a full afternoon of awards, activities and entertainment in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jan. 19, 12:00 noon -5:00 p.m., at Center House.

A focal point of the Celebration, the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Award, will be presented to several youth/youth organizations in the Puget Sound region that have energized and carried on the dream and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by promoting peace, community leadership, justice and civil rights for all citizens.

A special choral ensemble, the MLK Mass Choir, assembled especially for the MLK Celebration, will perform. The group includes singers from University Presbyterian Gospel, Seattle Pacific Lutheran Choir and several community church choirs.

The Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas will participate in the Celebration by staging a reading of excerpts from several of Dr. King's most famous speeches, followed by a discussion on the Dream Realized, America's First African American President.

Program Highlights:

12:00 p.m. - Performance by DaNell Daymon and Royalty Choir

1:00 p.m. - Invocation by Elvin Gladney, Senior Pastor at the Real Life international Church and Ministry Center

1:10 p.m. - Welcome by Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams

1:15 p.m. - Performance by the Eritrean-American trio, EriAm Sisters

1:30 p.m. - Presentation of the MLK Peace Awards

2:30 p.m. - Dramatic Reading of Excerpts from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Speeches

3:30 p.m. - MLK Mass Choir, directed by Elias Bullock

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration was created to celebrate the dream of Dr. King; promote the principles of peace, unity and equality; provide opportunity for all citizens of Seattle to remember the dream and vision of MLK; and honor the citizens who are energizing the MLK dream in their communities.

For more information on the Seattle Center Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration as well as other Seattle Center events and activities, visit seattlecenter.com

About Seattle Center

Seattle Center draws you in. Its vibrant pulse brings together people of all ages and walks of life to create thousands of extraordinary experiences that enrich millions of lives each year. Entertainment options abound -starting with 63 free and low cost public programs and over 5,000 campus shows and events annually. The 74-acre campus, with its 17 acres of open space, is welcoming to all -and is home to more than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organizations. This treasured urban gathering place exists to delight and inspire the human spirit in each person and bring our rich and varied community together. The 12 million visitors to Seattle Center each year generate $1.15 billion in business activity and $387 million in labor income for King County.