"Five Things you Need to Know Today" is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the new feature in the comments section.

1. The weather for Wilmington Fourth of July week has been perfect so far, and that continues on Monday. According to Weather.com, temperatures will settle in at 83^° to start the week. There is only a 20 percent chance of rain on the day and skies will be mostly sunny.

2. Fourth of July festivities continue on Monday in town. Activities for Monday include a roast beef dinner from the Knights of Columbus, served from 5-7 p.m. Then there will be a performance by Four on the Floor from 6-9:30 p.m., a three-on-three basketball tournament at 6 p.m. and the carnival is open from 6-11 p.m.

3. There's also one other exciting activity on Town Common Monday. The hospital bed race, sponsored by Wilmington Patch, begins at 7 p.m. Before you head to the race, be sure to check out our video recap of last year's exciting race. Will Local Heroes have enough to win the crown this year, or will another challenger take the title? Be sure to come down to watch the race and cheer on your favorite team. And be on the lookout for the Patch bed, which will be blazing down Church Street.

4. We want you to tell us where the best spots are in town for a variety of categories. Our Readers' Choice contest is back, so be sure to visit our article homepage that will connect you to 25 categories where you can make nominations. Then check back later this summer and vote in the poll for your favorite.

5. Now that we're past 1,400... we want to keep moving on to 1,500! We now have 1,414 Facebook fans, passing our most recent goal on Wednesday thanks to 11 new fans over the weekend. All you have to do to join our fan base is log on to the Wilmington Patch Facebook page and click "Like." It's an easy and fun way to keep up on everything local. Already a fan? Help spread the word as we continue towards 1,500 on our way to 2,000. Thanks for your support, Wilmington!