After a seven-week postponement caused by Hurricane Irene, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial will be dedicated Sunday morning, and the weather will be quite different.
A crowd of more than 50,000 is expected, and they should be dry and comfortable if they bring a coat or sweater. The forecast is for a pleasant morning and sunny skies for the event, which begins at 9 a.m.
A wooden stage was being set up Friday. President Barack Obama will address the crowd from it Sunday, and a huge Jumbotron will broadcast it to most of the crowd. He is expected to speak in the 11 a.m. hour.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, Julian Bond and members of King’s family also will speak.
Aretha Franklin will be the headlining entertainer.
Officials urge the public to take Metro and avoid driving anywhere near the Tidal Basin Sunday morning. Metro will open at 5 a.m. Sunday -- two hours early -- to accommodate the crowd. There will be extra cars and track work was suspended.
Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and water.
The memorial closes at 10 p.m. Saturday night to prepare for Sunday's program. The memorial foundation expects the memorial to be closed to the public all day Sunday and reopen at 5 a.m. Monday morning.
Click here for a list of street closures.
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