The 17th annual Apopka Martin Luther King Jr. Parade returned Monday with music, dance and tributes to community leaders under the theme “The Dream Marches On.” 

The South Apopka Ministerial Alliance organized the parade, which marched down Marvin C. Zanders Avenue in Apopka from the Apopka Community Center on S. Central Avenue to the John H. Bridges Community Center on West 13th Street.  

The event brought together city officials, law enforcement, local organizations and residents for a celebration honoring King’s legacy and those who serve Apopka.  

Parade chair Monique Morris, who also served as emcee, opened the program by recognizing public servants and sponsors.  

The parade highlighted youth and arts organizations, including the Orlando dance school Believe Dance Academy.  

Nastasshi Lewis, academy director, said the group has become a regular part of Apopka’s MLK celebration. This is the school’s fourth year participating in the event, with 40 dancers ranging from ages 3 to 18.  

Lewis explained how her academy connects dance with the parade’s theme.  

“How we prepare is we find out the theme, and we try to create dances that will leave a lasting impression on the community,” she said. “We love the Apopka community. We love that we see all ages zero to 99 in the Apopka community, and our objective is to make them smile, especially the senior citizens of this community.” 

The dancers blended generations and styles when performing in the parade.  

“We use old school, new school blend to hit every crowd, every age range,” Lewis said. “The style of dance that we did was HBCU [Historically Black College or University] marching style dance.” 

Lewis said her program also reflects King’s message of unity.  

“We keep the younger ones integrated with the older ones and the older ones with the younger ones,” she said. “I believe that that is definitely a part of the dream that Martin Luther King set, for the old and the new to blend.” 

The Apopka Police Department (APD) participated in the parade, with Lovetta Quinn-Henry making her first appearance at the parade as the Apopka police chief after she was sworn in last fall.  

“It was inspiring to see families, friends, and neighbors come together to celebrate unity, hope, and the legacy of Dr. King,” the APD posted on its Facebook page. “A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out to line the streets, wave, cheer, and celebrate alongside us. Seeing so many smiling faces and feeling the energy, positivity, and pride throughout the parade reminded us why events like this are so important.” 

Several high school bands joined the parade, including Apopka, Wekiva, Oak Ridge, Evans and Ocoee. This year, Campbell Middle School from Daytona Beach also joined the lineup. The school principal is Marcia Owens, a former Apopka High School assistant principal who served in that role for many years.  

Othellus Swift, an Apopka resident, served as the parade’s grand marshal for the community. The grand marshal for education and youth was Sophia Bascom, an Apopka daycare owner. The “bridge builder” grand marshal was Joshua Black.  

Sister Ann Kendrick, Hope CommUnity Center founder, and Juana Perez served as the Hispanic co-grand marshal.