BALTIMORE — The cheers, the band, and the celebration return tomorrow for Baltimore's Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade after a two-year hiatus.
There hasn't been a parade since 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions.
The Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts had cancelled this year's parade. They instead told people to take part in a day of service, causing an uproar with city leaders and residents.
RELATED: Baltimore names Senior Advisor for Arts & Cultural Affairs following MLK Day parade controversy
Mayor Brandon Scott called for the agency's CEO, Donna Drew Sawyer, to step down because of this cancellation and event cancellations from last year, stating he lost confidence in her ability to lead.
Sawyer submitted her resignation as the CEO on Tuesday.
Mayor Scott said this celebration must go on, with anti-violence being the main message of this year's parade.
"This year, of course, the focus for me is going to be a simple message of we must stop killing each other. So we'll have the brothers from We Our Us, we'll have Safe Streets, other groups out there. The fire department, our State's Attorney will be out there with us, Congressman Mfume," said Scott. "This is such a every year cultural tradition and big time event in Baltimore and that's why we had to bring it back."
The parade will be held tomorrow at noon at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street.
