Martin Luther King, Jr. celebrations begin in Wilmington

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee hosted a Meet and Greet event Monday night at the Cape Fear Museum in Wilmington.

It was the first night of celebrations leading up to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Winners of the poster and essay contest from local elementary and middle schools were honored at the event.

The committee wants to get children involved with the celebration events as much as possible.

There are several events happening all week long to honor Dr. King.

“It’s not just our organization,” Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee Chairman Hollis Briggs, Jr. said. “It’s about six or seven different organizations, and we’ve corralled everybody in to help celebrate Dr. King’s birthday in a great way in Southeastern North Carolina.”

Briggs said one new thing this year about the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade is that there will be mascots handing out candy.

For more information about all the events happening this week to celebrate Dr. King, click here.