Welcome to our weekly e-newsletter - What's Up in Wake Forest. Here you'll find information about Town programs, services, activities, projects, special events and more! If you haven't already, tell your friends and neighbors to visit our E-Notifier page to learn about our full array of free email offerings.

We are excited to unveil our new Downtown Wake Forest logo!

The icon used in the logo is inspired by a pattern of brick vents found on several building facades in downtown Wake Forest. Brick is a unifying element in the downtown business district and this unique brick pattern symbolizes the historic yet contemporary nature of our downtown. It also represents downtown as the central core of Wake Forest.

A special thanks to Graphics Coordinator Bess Martinson for her efforts developing the new logo.

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre will host the 2022 Wake Forest Film Festival this Friday, March 4, from 6-9:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 5, from 1-9 p.m. To view the complete two-day schedule, including movie titles and times, visit our website.

Entitled “A Light in the Forest,” the festival will engage film enthusiasts with more than 30 films of all lengths and genres, including short and full-length, documentary, horror, animation, and student. Intended for both the general public and film professionals, the Wake Forest Film Festival is an opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their films in a unique location to a discerning audience. 

All-access screening passes are $15 each and will allow unlimited access to the schedule of films throughout the two-day festival. Tickets may be purchased online and at the Renaissance Centre Box Office, 405 S. Brooks St. For more information, call 919-435-9458 or email the Renaissance Centre Box Office.

The Town of Wake Forest is reminding residents that loose leaf collection service ends Friday, March 11. As a result, the week of March 7 will offer residents one last chance (until October) to place loose leaves behind the curb by 7 a.m. on their normal collection day.

From Monday, March 14, through Friday, Sept. 30, residents must use compostable paper yard waste bags (paper only, no plastic) or reusable containers weighing no more than 50 pounds for yard waste (leaves, grass clippings, small limbs, and brush) collection.

Related

Mayor Vivian Jones’ 2022 State of the Town Address is now airing three times daily on Wake Forest TV 10. The mayor’s 33-minute speech can be viewed from now through the end of March at 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. The address is also provided in streaming video above and on the homepage of the Town website.

Mayor Jones delivered the annual address to over 200 people during the State of the Town Address & Dinner on February 21. The event was sponsored for the 13th year by the Wake Forest Rotary Club.

You can make a difference in our community by applying to fill the vacancy on the Technology Advisory Board (TAB). Professionals with experience in technology-related fields are especially encouraged to apply.

The online advisory board application is available through Monday, March 21.

The PRCR Department will host an online Esports gaming tournament featuring "Rocket League" on Saturday, April 23. Open to players ages 10 and older, the online tournament is free to play and will be live streamed on Twitch.tv. Registration is open through Wednesday, April 20.

Teams comprised of three players each will compete in what is scheduled to be a single-day tournament to be run in conjunction with "Bull City Gaming." In the event more than 32 teams register, the tournament will expand to two days with the qualifying rounds taking place on April 23 and the top eight teams battling it out in the finals on Sunday, April 24. As an added incentive, the first 30 people to register will have their name entered into a drawing for a chance to win a Nintendo Switch. Only tournament participants are eligible to win.


The Recreation Advisory Board will host a family-friendly 5K/3K walk/run as part of National Trails Day on Saturday, June 4, at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Check-in on the day of the event starts at 7 a.m., and the race begins at 8 a.m. Online registration is available.

The entry fee for the 5K is $25 before March 31; $30 from April 1-May 14; $35 from May 15-June 2; and $40 the day before and day of the race. The entry fee for the 3K is $20 before March 31; $25 April 1-May 14; $30 May 15-June 2; and $35 the day before and day of the race.

Registrations will be accepted on the day of the event. Everyone who registers before May 15 will receive a race T-shirt.


Memorial Day Remembrance Wall of Honor submissions accepted through April 15
In May, the PRCR Department will present Memorial Day Remembrance Walls of Honor at E. Carroll Joyner Park, Alston-Massenburg Center, and Flaherty Park. In recognition of the service and sacrifice of women and men in uniform, these Walls of Honor will bear the names of as many as 500 veterans submitted by members of our community.

From now through Friday, April 15, the PRCR Department will accept submissions, including the names of veterans, both living and deceased, along with the military branch in which they served, for inclusion on each wall.


We're looking for responsible adults interested in volunteering their time to coach teams of various ages during the upcoming Spring Youth Baseball season. Team practices will begin later this month, and games will be played primarily on weeknights from April through late June.


We're accepting team registrations for Men’s Church Softball through Thursday, March 31. The entry fee is $550 per team, and the league is limited to participants ages 18 and older. Beginning in mid-April, league games will be played primarily on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

The Town of Wake Forest and the Clean Water Education Partnership (CWEP) will celebrate “Creek Week,” March 12-19, by hosting a Creek Week Virtual 5K Run/Walk at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road.

The “Creek Week Virtual 5K Run/Walk” is an innovative and interactive way for residents of all ages to learn about the importance of clean and healthy waterways, while enjoying the outdoors.
From March 12-19, participants are encouraged to walk or run (at least) five kilometers along Joyner Park’s three miles of paved trails. Educational information will be displayed on signage along the trails emphasizing the importance of clean and healthy waterways. Read More>>
 
Starting in April, the Town of Wake Forest will celebrate the return of warmer weather by offering a wonderful array of outdoor events and activities for the entire family. From our Memorial Flag-Raising Ceremonies and the Easter Egg Hunt to Friday Night on White and Family Movie Nights at Joyner Park, spring and summer in Wake Forest are jam-packed with fun-filled outdoor events guaranteed to help you forget “Old Man Winter.”
 
To help inform area residents about all these events, the Town offers Wake Forest Outdoors. The webpage provides detailed information all in one place about our area’s most popular springtime and summer happenings, including the Memorial Flag-Raising Ceremonies, Friday Night on White, Six Sundays in Spring, Meet in the Street, Family Movie Nights at Joyner Park, Independence Day Celebration, and National Trails Day - just to name a few. Offering dates, times, locations, event descriptions and more, the portal is a useful resource for anyone planning to take advantage of Wake Forest’s vast array of warm weather activities. 

Here’s your chance to be a part of the 2022 Meet in the Street! The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting applications for arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, non-profits, and individual businesses for this popular community event. Applications are available online at  and at the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, 350 S. White St.

Free and open to the public, the 40th Annual Meet in the Street® is scheduled for Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in historic downtown Wake Forest. Promising a fun-filled day of food, live music, and children’s activities, the event will also include dozens of artisans' booths featuring handcrafted arts and crafts, a Young Entrepreneur’s Fair, and more! For complete details, visit our website or contact Liz Simpers at 919-556-1519.
 
The draft FY2023 Wake Transit Work Plan is available for community review until March 16. The draft Work Plan is located online, along with additional information, at https://goforwardnc.org/wakeinput/.

The annual Wake Transit Work Plan allocates projected revenues to fund service investments and capital projects that will improve and expand Wake County’s transit network in the upcoming fiscal year (July-June). The “Four Big Moves” of the Wake Transit program are designed to accomplish the following goals: 1) Connect the region; 2) Connect all Wake County communities; 3) Create frequent and reliable urban mobility; and, 4) Enhance access to transit.

North Wake Theatre will present three performances of Forever Plaid: The Musical Saturday-Sunday, March 19-20, at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St. Showtimes are Saturday at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
 
“Forever Plaid” is one of the most popular and successful musicals in recent memory chock-full of classic barbershop quartet harmonies and pitch-perfect melodies. Tickets are $25 plus tax and may be purchased online or at the Renaissance Centre Box Office, 405 S. Brooks St.

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre will welcome the Sons of Mystro on Thursday, March 24, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 each.

These incredibly talented brothers play over 10 different genres of popular music, using the violin instead of their voices to express a song's lyrics.
 
The Town of Wake Forest welcomes the return of Friday Night on White and is pleased to announce a power-packed band lineup for the 2022 concert series. Bands scheduled to perform include The Magic Pipers (April 8); Sleeping Booty (May 13); The Soul Psychedelique (June 10); Love Tribe (July 15); The Brickhouse Band (August 12); and Crush (September 9).
 
FNOW is typically offered along South White Street in downtown Wake Forest from 6-9 p.m. on the second Friday night of each month from April through September. Due to Independence Day falling this year on the same week as the second Friday in July, the July concert will take place on the third Friday. The remaining concerts will occur on the second Friday of the month.

Provided below are announcements about projects that will impact Wake Forest motorists over the next several weeks. Please use the information to help plan your route and move safely through the affected areas. 

Through July 31
Wellons Construction, Inc., a private contractor, has closed the portion of Averette Road from Jack Jones Road to Mill Dam Road. Scheduled through late summer, the closure is necessary to allow crews to widen and realign this portion of Averette Road. Signed detours are in place directing traffic around the work area.


Ongoing
Fred Smith Company, a contractor working at the future Legacy at Heritage, will periodically reduce to one lane with alternating two-way traffic the portion of Heritage Lake Road from Dr. Calvin Jones Highway/NC 98 Bypass to Friendship Chapel Road daily from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. The periodic lane closures are necessary to allow crews to widen the road and install a storm drain and curb and gutter.

Signage and flaggers will be in place to manage traffic flow and safely direct motorists through the work area. Delays are expected, so motorists may wish to avoid the area and take an alternate route.
 
 
Ongoing
Fred Smith Company, a contractor working on the Holding Village subdivision, will initiate lane reductions along eastbound and westbound Dr. Calvin Jones Highway/NC 98 Bypass in the vicinity of the South Franklin Street intersection daily from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. The lane reductions are necessary to allow crews to extend South Franklin Street and convert the intersection to a Reduced Conflict Intersection, also known as a superstreet.

Signage and cones will be in place to manage traffic flow and safely direct motorists through the work areas. Delays are expected, so motorists may wish to avoid these areas if possible and take an alternate route. 

Related
UPDATE - Show Some Love, #KeepWFclean
 
In January 2021, we launched our Show Some Love, #KeepWFclean anti-litter campaign.

Since then, volunteers have checked out 116 litter kits; logged 489 hours; collected nearly 10,500 lbs. of trash and 1,625 lbs. of recyclables; and cleaned 47 miles of streets, 19 sections of roadway and 17 sections of waterway.
 
We developed the infographic below to highlight our progress and express our thanks to YOU - our awesome community volunteers!
Clean up your butts!

Check out the latest in our series of Show Some Love, #KeepWFClean videos.

This is an example of a QR ("Quick Response") code. QR codes are like the barcodes you see on retail products, but they can contain a lot more information than a simple item number.

The code to the left is just another way of directing you to food and beverage options in Downtown Wake Forest. QR codes can be read by smartphone cameras, which saves you from having to type in long web addresses.

QR codes can also be used to display other text, such as contact information or menu options. QR codes can be placed on anything from signs and flyers to A-frame signs/sandwich boards and business cards. They provide an easy way for you to get more information about a subject, without having to remember or type anything.

Most of the major-brand smart phone devices offer built-in QR Code readers or provide free readers in their respective online application market places. Once you have the reader on your phone you can simply use your phone's camera to "scan" the QR Code and your mobile phone will be directed to the page you are currently viewing from your more stationary device.

Wake Forest uses QR codes in a variety of ways. For example, codes on A-frame signs help you find info about our Christmas events, complete event surveys, and sign up to receive notifications about Town programs and services. If you have any feedback about our use of QR codes, please be sure to let us know!

Related

Fall is here and so are the cooler temperatures! The Town of Wake Forest is inviting individuals, families, churches and civic clubs to embrace autumn and join the “Show Some Love, #KeepWFclean” campaign by picking up trash in their neighborhoods and along local streets and roadways. The initiative allows volunteers to pick up litter on a one-time or ongoing basis. Participants may also choose the area they wish to clean or request direction to high need areas around town.

To aid the effort, volunteers may reserve litter kits at no charge by completing the online reservation form. Each litter kit includes reflective vests, gloves, buckets, grabbers, trash bags, data collection sheets, hand sanitizer and litter education materials. A special thanks to B&W Hardware for donating the litter kits.

Once reserved, litter kits may be picked up at the Public Works Operations Center, 234 Friendship Chapel Road, Monday-Friday, between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and must be returned within one week, unless otherwise requested. For complete details, email Sustainability Coordinator Jeanette Johnson.
 
Loose trash in trucks creates litter along Wake Forest roadways.
 
Help keep Wake Forest roadways clean by securing any trash in your truck bed. When you throw trash in the back of your truck, it inevitably blows out and becomes litter on the roadside. In fact, half of all litter is blown, not thrown! Roadside litter costs millions of dollars to remove, decreases property values and has a negative impact on tourism.
 
The NC Department of Public Safety reports that an even bigger problem is unsecured loads in the back of trucks. At high speeds, even large items can fly out and hurt or startle other drivers causing accidents. Put trash into built-in containers. Use tarps, cargo nets and tie-downs to secure any loads. #KeepWFclean
 
The following monthly meeting schedule is now in effect:
 
Board of Commissioners Work Session
First Tuesday/month - 6 p.m.

Joint Public Hearings
First Tuesday/month - 7:30 p.m.

Planning Board Meeting
Second Tuesday/month - 6 p.m.

Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
Third Tuesday/month - 6 p.m.

Related
 
View Town meetings live & on demand

Planning Board and Board of Commissioners meetings can be viewed both live and on demand by visiting our Public Meetings Portal. Meetings are available in streaming video for several years after their original air date and featured in a convenient scroll-down menu. 
 
These meetings are also shown live on Wake Forest TV 10 - the Town of Wake Forest’s government access channel - then re-broadcast daily for two weeks at 9 a.m., 3 p.m., and 9 p.m. 
 
Although WFTV 10 is available only to Wake Forest residents and businesses that subscribe to Spectrum Cable TV service, WFTV 10 is also provided online in real-time streaming video.

The Town of Wake Forest has launched a comprehensive public education campaign on proper recycling behaviors.

#RecycleRightWF introduces and emphasizes a series of easy-to-understand messages aimed at simplifying the recycling process and improving the quality of materials residents place in their rollout recycling carts.

The Northern Wake Senior Center, 235 E. Holding Ave., offers adults age 55 and older a full schedule of recreational activities. Programming at the center is provided by Resources for Seniors, Inc. The organization serves senior and disabled adults in Wake County by providing home and community-based services and information, thereby allowing them to maximize their choices for independence, comfort, safety, security and well-being.

Check out Jennie's Weekly Jots, the senior center's weekly newsletter, for information on current programming and initiatives.
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If you have questions or comments about the Town of Wake Forest website or E-News, please contact Bill Crabtree by email or call 919-435-9421.