From a pancake breakfast to youth gatherings with panel discussions, discover the Martin Luther King Jr. Day events taking place in New Hampshire this year.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed annually in the U.S. on the third Monday in January to honor the life and achievements of the famed Civil Rights Movement leader. A motion to make King’s birthday a federal holiday was introduced in 1968, just days after his assassination, but it didn’t become an official holiday until years later in 1983.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is also a state holiday in all 50 states, though it didn’t become one in New Hampshire until January 2000, making the Granite State the last U.S. state to have a holiday honoring King by name.
Despite taking longer than other states to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a holiday, today in New Hampshire, you can find several events celebrating the iconic figure. Keep reading to learn more about some of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day events taking place in New Hampshire and discover how you can get involved.
1. Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend at Calumet
At Calumet, a campground located on Ossipee Lake, the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration lasts all weekend long. The tentative event schedule includes a morning meditation, arts and crafts, hiking, and snowshoeing. Guests are also encouraged to participate in this year’s service project, which consists of making and filling bags for End 68 Hours of Hunger, a nonprofit that works to end food insecurity.
Location: 1090 Ossipee Lake Rd., Freedom
Date: Jan. 16-19
Cost: Call 603-539-3223 or email alice@calumet.org for more information.
2. 2026 MLK Jr. Community Celebration
The Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition and St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church are hosting the 44th annual MLK Jr. Community Celebration. The theme for this year’s celebration is “uplifting resistance through community,” and Melanie Levesque, who became the first African American state senator in New Hampshire in 2018, will be honored at the event.
A choir will also sing the folk tune “We Shall Not Be Moved,” which was a popular protest song during the Civil Rights movement.
Location: Memorial High School, 1 Crusader Way, Manchester
Date: Jan. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free
3. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Event
Project S.T.O.R.Y., a nonprofit organization that works with youth from culturally diverse communities in Concord, is hosting its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Event at The Eleventh Letter Writing Gallery. The event will feature a youth panel discussion and speeches by Project S.T.O.R.Y. leaders.
Charm Emiko, the founder and director of Project S.T.O.R.Y., told us the nonprofit started hosting this event after local children expressed concern over the lack of Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in their community.
Location: The Eleventh Letter Writing Gallery, 146 N. Main St., Concord
Date: Jan. 19 from 1-3 p.m.
Cost: The event is free to attend, but donations are welcome.
4. Martin Luther King Jr. Pancake Breakfast
Bring your appetite to the Martin Luther King Jr. Pancake Breakfast, hosted by Seacoast NAACP. After breakfast, attendees can enjoy programming with speakers and entertainment that’s focused on celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy, including a talk by Rev. Dr. Jerrell Riggins of New Hope Baptist Church and a walking tour of an African burying ground. Previous events have featured local leaders, singers, artists, and poets.
Location: South Church, Portsmouth, 292 State St., Portsmouth
Date: Jan. 19 at 8:30 a.m.
Cost: Free
Other ways to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day
In addition to attending the events mentioned above, there are other ways you can celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. You can participate in The King Center’s National Community Service Project Initiative by hosting your own service-oriented event, such as a community clean-up, collecting food or clothing donations, or making encouragement cards for seniors, healthcare workers, or the unhoused. (You can register your 2026 service event with The King Center here.)
If you’re short on time this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, you can still make an impact by donating items to The King Center. You can do this by purchasing items from the organization’s Amazon wish list. The items you buy will be shipped to The King Center for distribution on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
If you have children, consider registering for The King Center’s Beloved Community Children’s Book Reading. During this virtual event, authors Dr. Bernice A. King—Martin Luther King Jr.’s youngest child—and Dr. Kimberly P. Johnson will present a special reading and puppetry performance, followed by a question-and-answer session.
You may also consider contacting your local church, soup kitchen, library, or school to inquire about potential events being hosted this year.
