WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The NAACP New Hanover County Branch will hold its 2026 Freedom Fund Banquet on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Hotel Ballast in Wilmington. The event, described by the branch as its premier annual fundraising and recognition event, will begin at 7 p.m. in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom. The Rev. Erica Smith will serve as the featured speaker. This year’s Blue and Gold Affair will be held under the theme, “A Legacy of Strength, A Futur…