Please join us on January 10th, 2026 for a celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and the kickoff of the town’s festivities recognizing the 250^th Anniversary of our nation’s independence. This event is sponsored by the Glastonbury MLK Community Initiative and will be held at 2:00 PM at Gideon Welles School, located at 1029 Neipsic Road, Glastonbury. This free event is open to the public.

The theme for the festivities is “Keeping the Dream Alive” and will include a keynote address by Bishop John L. Selders, who is the Organizing Pastor of Amistad United Church of Christ in Hartford. He also serves the United Church of Christ and is currently Assistant Dean of Students and Coordinator of Community Standards at Trinity College. The event will also include celebratory performances by noted soloists and choral groups, comments by local and state officials and readings.

A formal plan of commemorative festivities will occur throughout 2026 to recognize the 250^th Anniversary of U.S. independence. The plan aligns with the four themes identified by the America 250 CT Commission, including:

• Telling Stories so CT residents see themselves reflected in our nation’s history
• Power of Place to embrace the unique identifies and contributions of CT communities
• Doing History to explore CT’s role in the development of our nation
• For the Common Good to embrace civic engagement and continue the work of shaping our communities, state, and nation around the democratic ideals outlined in our founding documents.

For more information, please contact glastonburyMLKCI@gmail.com.