Next Monday is Jan. 17, aka Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Today, we’re bringing you a list of events + service opportunities so you can honor Dr. King’s legacy here in the 828.
This year, events planned by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County will take place virtually from Sat., Jan. 15-Wed., Jan. 19. Notable events include: the annual prayer breakfast (featuring speaker Marcia Johnson-Blanco, co-director of the Lawyers’ Committee’s Voting Rights Project), a peace march and rally, a candlelight service that honors community leaders, and a “call to action” closing ceremony. Pro tip: Subscribe to the Association’s YouTube channel to receive notifications when events are published and available to view.
There’s also a day of service at Burton Street Community Peace Garden on Mon., Jan. 17 for those ready to get their hands dirty. Starting at 1 p.m., volunteers will gather to work on community betterment projects in the Burton Street neighborhood. The event will be hosted by Hood Huggers International, Riverlink, Asheville Parks & Recreation, Asheville Creative Arts, Energy Savers Network, and Burton Street Community Association. Food + refreshments will be offered. Register here.
UNC Asheville will commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. this year with a virtual keynote address by New York Times bestselling author and Chair of Princeton’s Department of African American Studies, Eddie Glaude Jr., on Thurs., Jan. 20. Free and open to the public, the event will begin at 7 p.m. Register to attend.
Wehrloom Honey & Meadery AVL will also host an artist vendor market with live music, limited MLK Day Wherloom merch + more. What we know so far? The Cooking with Comedy food truck will sling eats Thurs. from 2-7 p.m., and on Sun. at 2 p.m., there’ll be a mead making demo. Follow along on social media for updates to its schedule of events.