Monday, Jan. 19 at 4:30 pm, Chabot College will hold a Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration in the Buffington Visual and Performing Arts Center.

The City of Hayward has held a celebration for Martin Luther King’s birthday since 1986. With the support of the community, schools, and local government the celebration has grown over the last 29 years.

The celebration continues to be a big hit in the community. Volunteers, donations, fundraising, and funding from Hayward Unified School District make the event possible each year.

“The event has grown in size. Two years ago only the lower half of the theater was filled. The year after that, the whole theater was packed,” said Zach Ebadi, City of Hayward Recreation and Park Coordinator.

This year, attendees can expect to see people from their own community perform a speaking at the event. CSUEB’s Iota Phi Theta fraternity will perform a step along with the 2014 Made in Hayward Step Off winners from Southgate Elementary School Ochoa Middle School and Hayward High Schools.

Alongside the step teams, those in attendance will hear from Dr. Clayborne Carson, the direct of Stanford University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Hayward’s Mayor Barbara Halliday.

“This event compliments the 50th anniversary of Civil Rights in America and is a visible testament to Hayward’s commitment to diversity and community awareness,” said Stan Dobbs Superintendent of Hayward Unified School District.

The first celebration was held in Hayward’s original Centennial Hall. After the hall was demolished in 2011. After the demolition the event moved to Chabot’s Buffington center.

“I believe that the King holiday should be treated not as just another day off but for what it is: a day of remembrance for a great man who continues to inspire us long after his death,” said Mayor Halliday, who looks forward to meeting the community for the first time as mayor.

The celebration welcomes people from all over the Bay area and is free admission.