A Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. Monday at the Ames Middle School.

The event is free to anyone to attend. Cake will be served before a program consisting of skits, music and speeches to honor King.

Nonperishable and canned good items can be brought to the event as part of a food drive being held that day. All items donated will go to Mid-Iowa Community Action, a community action agency, and its food pantry.

The Young Women’s Christian Association has described the event on their website as an opportunity to “celebrate how through service we can all work toward a common goal of community cooperation and leadership development.”

The event is scheduled to last an hour and a half.

Iowa State will host its Martin Luther King Jr Holiday Celebration at 4 p.m. Thursday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

The event will feature opening remarks from President Steven Leath, musical performances from Bridges to Harmony Choir and Shy of a Dozen and numerous speakers.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Advancing One Community Awards will be presented at the event.

ISU Dining Services is donating cake for the celebration.