December 21, 2023

2023 Christmas & 2024 New Year’s Holiday Schedules

The Wake Forest Town Hall and other administrative offices will be closed Monday-Wednesday, Dec. 25-27, for the Christmas holiday and Monday, Jan. 1, for New Year’s.

Neither the Wake Forest Loop (WFL) nor the Wake Forest-Raleigh Express (WRX) will operate on Monday, Dec. 25, and Monday, Jan. 1. Both will resume normal operations the following day.

During the weeks of December 25 and January 1, trash and recycling will be collected one day later than normal and extend into Saturday. So, for example, Monday’s route will be collected Tuesday and Friday’s route will be collected Saturday.

Christmas tree recycling starts January 2

The Town of Wake Forest is encouraging residents to make recycling a holiday tradition by recycling their live Christmas trees.

Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 2, Town crews will collect and recycle live Christmas trees from residential homes during yard waste collection. The trees will be ground into mulch and made available for free to residents upon request.

All Wake Forest residents whose yard waste is collected by the Town may participate in the “Treecycling” program. To recycle your Christmas tree, remove all decorations, tinsel, nails, stands, and bags from the tree and set it behind the curb for collection.

Residents are reminded that artificial trees cannot be recycled.

Downtown water tower getting a makeover

The Wake Forest skyline is about to have a new look.

The 150-foot-tall water tower situated near the intersection of East Holding Avenue and South White Street in downtown Wake Forest is getting a makeover.

Earlier this year, the Town of Wake Forest partnered with the City of Raleigh to re-paint the water tank. In case you didn’t know, Wake Forest and Raleigh merged their water and sewer systems in 2005. In accordance with the regional utility plan, the City of Raleigh assumed sole responsibility for operating, maintaining, improving, and expanding the water and wastewater collection system that serves the Town of Wake Forest. Since then, Wake Forest and Raleigh have worked together to schedule upgrades and improvements to Wake Forest's water and sewer system.

Now, Utility Service Company, a contractor working on behalf of the Town, is applying the Wake Forest Downtown logo to two sides of the water tank at a cost of $17,450. The logo will measure just over 35-feet long and 12-feet high.

The work began on Wednesday and is expected to be completed by Friday. The photo shows what the water tank will look like once the logo has been applied to one side.

Kiel Ortiz honored as 2023 Employee of the Year

Community Outreach Assistant Kiel Ortiz is the Town of Wake Forest 2023 Jon Ray Employee of the Year. Town Manager Kip Padgett made the announcement Wednesday morning during the Senior Leadership Team’s Holiday Breakfast.

The Jon Ray Employee of the Year (EOY) Award is named after former Street Supervisor Jon Ray who passed away in November 2013. Padgett, along with a committee comprised of former EOY award winners, selects the Employee of the Year from nominations submitted by Town staff. Submissions must include a written narrative explaining why the nominee is deserving of the award.

A Wake Forest employee since 2020, Kiel sits at the Information Desk in the lobby of Town Hall. As a result, he is widely recognized as “the face of Wake Forest” because he is often the first person Town Hall visitors see when they come through the door.

He was nominated for the EOY award by several co-workers who commended his commitment to the Town’s core values of caring, commitment, character, and collaboration.

MLK Community Celebration is January 18, fundraising drive continues

Several local churches and community organizations will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during a free, public celebration on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. at Friendship Chapel Baptist Church, 237 Friendship Chapel Road.

The evening’s theme will center around one of Dr. King’s messages: “Be the peace you wish to see in the world.” In the spirit of the event theme, the Wake Forest MLK Committee will offer creative performance, writing, and art competitions for students in Wake Forest and Rolesville-area schools. Complete contest rules and information, along with the online contest entry form, are available on the Town website.

The competition winners will be recognized during the January 18 program.

The Wake Forest MLK Committee is accepting monetary donations from the community to help fund the monetary prizes and scholarships awarded to the competition winners. The MLK Committee hopes to raise $10,000 by January 31, 2024. Area residents can support this worthy cause by submitting online donations.

Mayor & BOC Contact Information

During the December 19 Board of Commissioners meeting, Commissioners-elect Ben Clapsaddle and Faith Cross were sworn in, along with re-elected Commissioner Adam Wright.

Contact information for Mayor Vivian Jones and Commissioners Ben Clapsaddle, Faith Cross, Keith Shackleford, Nick Sliwinski, and Adam Wright is available on the Town website.

Tickets selling fast for Renaissance Centre’s “Mesmerizing Magic” featuring Jason Hudy

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts, 405 S. Brooks St., will present “Mesmerizing Magic” featuring Jason Hudy on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m.

Mystery. Intrigue. Comedy. Bewilderment. These are only a fraction of the qualities Jason Hudy delivers in every performance.

Guaranteed to amaze and amuse the entire family, “Mesmerizing Magic” will transport you into the intricate world of magic and illusion. Promising to leave you breathless, this spellbinding one-of-a-kind performance will redefine your idea of what a magic show is!



Advance tickets are $25 plus tax and can be purchased online, in person at the RC Box Office, or by calling 919-435-9458.

Tickets on sale for 2024 Wake Forest Film Festival March 1-2

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St., will host the 2024 Wake Forest Film Festival on Friday and Saturday, March 1-2. Tickets to the two-day event are $20 and can be purchased online, in person at the RC Box Office, or by calling 919-435-9458.

Earlier this year, the Renaissance Centre invited filmmakers from our community and around the world to submit their vibrant, diverse, and original works and become a part of the 2024 film festival. Altogether, 81 films were submitted for consideration and 18 were selected to be featured during this year’s event. The complete schedule, including movie titles and times will be announced in the coming days on the RC website.

The two-day festival will spotlight passionate, creative, and thought-provoking movies by some of today's most promising and accomplished local, national, and international filmmakers.

Aileen Staples completes Civic Fellows “Leading for Results”

Assistant Town Manager/CFO Aileen Staples recently completed the “Leading for Results” program at the UNC School of Government as a Civic Fellow.

Aileen was among 24 individuals from across North Carolina identified as a critical leader in their local government and was selected in a competitive process from over 170 applicants to the program.

“Leading for Results” focuses on personal and organizational leadership. Participants were introduced to models of leadership as well as management and leadership tools and strategies.

Wake Forest PAFR earns financial reporting award

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has again named the Town of Wake Forest as the recipient of the GFOA’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting for its Citizens’ Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. This marks the sixth consecutive year the Town has garnered the award.

Valid for one year, the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting is a prestigious national award recognizing conformance with the highest standards for preparation of state and local popular reports. To receive the honor, a government unit must publish a Citizens Financial Report or Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), whose contents conform to program standards of creativity, understandability, distribution methods, reader appeal and other elements.

The PAFR is prepared to inform Wake Forest residents about Town finances in a format that is easy to understand for those without a background in public finance or accounting. The document is designed for readers who would like to review financial and operational information in a summarized format. It also provides non-financial information to give users a better understanding of the community. 

NCFST Mobile Market returns to Wake Forest January 11

The Northern Community Food Security Team (NCFST) is partnering with Ripe for Revival to offer a monthly mobile grocery store on the second Thursday of each month from 3-5 p.m. across from the Northern Regional Center, 350 E. Holding Ave.

Offering fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy from local and regional farmers on a pay-what-you-can scale, the NCFST Mobile Market will return to East Holding Avenue on Thursday, Jan. 11.

Open to everyone, the pay-what-you-can mobile grocery store makes fresh and local produce, proteins, dairy, eggs, and other food products accessible and affordable to all, regardless of their budget.



When shopping, there are some limits on the amount of protein, dairy, and eggs a consumer can purchase, but no limits on produce.



At checkout, shoppers will be given a suggested total. Shoppers can then pay the full amount, a portion of that amount, or nothing at all. Both cash and card payments are accepted, along with Android/Apple Pay.

Portion of Dunn Creek Greenway closed

Wellons Construction, Inc., a contractor working on the Friendship Chapel Road (FCR) Eastern Extension on behalf of JPM South, has temporarily closed a portion of the Dunn Creek Greenway in the vicinity of Wilts Dairy Point (see map). The closure is necessary to allow crews to extend Friendship Chapel Road from Heritage Hills Way to Remey Avenue effectively connecting FCR from South Main Street/US 1A to Jones Dairy Road.

Signage and barricades have been posted to inform the public of the closure, as well as the signed detour directing trail users around the closure via Wilts Dairy Point, Friendship Chapel Road, and Heritage Lake Road.

Construction is expected to be completed in early summer 2024. For more information, visit our website or contact Assistant Stormwater Engineer Nick Nolte at 919-435-9449.

Wake Forest Disc Golf Course

Wake Forest's new disc golf course is open year-round for free use to the public Monday-Friday from 4 p.m.-dusk, and Saturdays and Sundays from dawn to dusk.

The rules for disc golf are similar to traditional golf by way of scoring and etiquette. Standing on what is generally a five-foot by 12-foot concrete tee pad, a player aims their disc towards a disc golf basket that’s placed from distances between 150 to 570 feet from the tee pads.

These discs differ from non-competitive discs in that they have a thinner profile and a sharper outer edge to increase aerodynamics and distance. Different discs are used for different parts of the course.

Just like with mainstream golf, the idea is to complete the course in the fewest throws.

Check out WAFO GO - the latest addition to the Town of Wake Forest App!

WAFO GO is a family-friendly, fun, educational, and recreational scavenger hunt game featuring 10 locations in downtown Wake Forest. Guided by Toby, the happy and good-natured dog, WAFO GO takes participants on an exciting journey through our “quaint but cool” downtown, combining entertainment, exercise, and learning in a unique and engaging way.

To embark on this tail-wagging adventure, fetch (download) the Town of Wake Forest app, proceed to the second screen by clicking on the three lines along the top right corner of the home screen, and select WAFO GO (see screenshots below)!

Once you're all set up, unleash your inner detective and use the clues to track down the answers to the riddles. Follow your nose to 10 amazing locations, starting at the Wake Forest Library and ending the journey with a victory dance at the end of White Street!

And here's the secret sauce – numbers hold the key to unlocking the mysteries! Worried about making a wrong guess? No need! We've got a multiple-choice extravaganza with zero penalties – just pure, tail-wagging fun! So, are you ready to sniff out knowledge and have a blast on this paw-some scavenger hunt? Let the games begin!

Letters for Santa mailbox available through Friday in Jones Plaza

The Town of Wake Forest has installed the popular Letters for Santa mailbox in Jones Plaza at the intersection of South White Street and East Jones Avenue just in time for Saturday’s Wake Forest Cares Holiday Kick-Off.

Children of all ages are invited to bring their letters to Santa’s Mailbox anytime between now and Friday, Dec. 22, for immediate delivery to the North Pole. No postage is required.

A “Letter from Santa” which parents can download and personalize is available on the Town website.

Take your picture in our Town Hall ornament & sleigh

Check out the Wake Forest Town Hall holiday ornament and sleigh on the lawn between Centennial Plaza and the Town Hall visitor parking lot.

Be sure to stop by to snap your photo and share it with us using hashtags #TownofWakeForest and #TisTheSeasonTOWF.

Connections...100 Years of Wake Forest History on sale

Just in time for the holidays, The Town of Wake Forest is again offering Connections…100 Years of Wake Forest History for $30 each.



Authored by Wake Forest resident and “Wake Forest Gazette” Publisher Carol Pelosi, “Connections... 100 Years of Wake Forest History” was written and released in 2009 to commemorate Wake Forest's Centennial Celebration.

A treasure trove of pictures, original artwork, and stories recording the people, places, and events of Wake Forest’s first 100 years, the photo-filled hardcover book chronicles the town’s rich history and details its growth from a small college town to a thriving community of more than 50,000 residents.

Connections may be purchased online with credit card or debit card or in person at the Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., with cash, check, credit card or debit card. After ordering your copy, stop by the Information Desk in the lobby of Town Hall at your convenience to pick it up.

Engraved bricks make great gifts!

The Town of Wake Forest is pleased to offer you the opportunity to purchase an engraved brick paver.

The 4" x 8" engraved brick pavers cost just $125 each and once ordered become a permanent part of the Wake Forest Town Hall Centennial Plaza - to be viewed and enjoyed by residents and visitors for years to come.

Located along South Brooks Street, Centennial Plaza is the focal point of Wake Forest's municipal campus and a gateway to town hall.

Here's your chance to join over 100 local businesses, civic clubs, residents and former residents that have already purchased a personalized brick. Engraved bricks are a unique way to honor loved ones, commemorate special events and recognize civic clubs and social groups, youth athletic teams, businesses and not-for-profit groups.

Police urge residents to prevent porch pirates, report suspicious activity

The Wake Forest Police Department (WFPD) is encouraging residents to “be a good neighbor” by reporting suspicious activity this holiday season and throughout the year.

Police officials say crimes are often prevented when citizens report suspected illegal activity. That’s especially true when it comes to combatting porch pirates. With only a few weeks until Christmas, deliveries are already arriving on doorsteps. The WFPD is enlisting the public’s help to ensure the rightful owners receive those packages.

As the popularity of online shopping and home delivery continues to increase, so does the threat posed by porch pirates. Police say these offenders may not intend to target a particular home but may walk or drive by an area and see an easy target where something of perceived value can be taken quickly without notice. In other instances, these criminals follow delivery drivers around and wait until a package or packages are dropped off. Once the courier is out of sight, the packages are stolen.

Police encourage residents to stay alert and report all crime and suspicious activity. If you see a package being stolen from a neighbor’s home, call police and report a “crime in progress.”

Greenway & trail users urged to respect private property

Growing numbers of residents throughout Wake Forest and beyond enjoy the Town’s 50-plus miles of trails and greenways. Some users enjoy walking and biking for exercise, while others do so for their mental well-being.

Regardless of your reason, it is important for everyone to respect private property and remain within the confines of the marked paths. Anyone who ventures off the trails onto adjacent land may be guilty of trespassing.

In North Carolina, such trespassing is classified as a Class 3 misdemeanor under NCGS 14-159.13 and punishable by up to 20 days in jail and a $200 fine.

The Wake Forest Police Department urges greenway and trail users to remain on the marked trails and off adjacent property. Anyone witnessing suspicious activity is urged to call the Police Department at 919-554-6150.

Wake Forest Cares Holiday Donation Drive continues through December

Our 2023 Wake Forest Cares Holiday Donation Drive is underway. Each year, the initiative raises money for several programs addressing specific needs in our community, including hunger, home lighting and heating, youth health and fitness, and providing joy and hope during the holiday season and beyond.

Area residents and businesses can show their support for these efforts by contributing online to one or more of these initiatives:

• Helping Others by Providing Electricity (HOPE)
• Northern Community Food Security Team
• Shop With a Cop
• Wake Forest Firefighters Foundation
• Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Scholarship Program

In addition to online donations, checks are accepted and should be made payable to Town of Wake Forest (include “WF Cares” in the memo line), then mailed to Town of Wake Forest, 301 S. Brooks St., Wake Forest, NC 27587.

Donations will be accepted through Sunday, Dec. 31, and may be designated to more than one initiative. Donations to more than one cause will be distributed evenly unless otherwise noted on the online donation form. So, for example, a $50 donation to two causes would result in each receiving $25. One hundred percent of all contributions will be directed to the designated organization(s)/initiative(s). 

#RecycleRightWF

In 2021, the Town of Wake Forest launched #RecycleRightWF, a comprehensive public education campaign on proper recycling behaviors. Through a series of easy-to-understand messages, the initiative attempted to simplify the recycling process and improve the quality of materials residents place in their rollout recycling carts.

Thanks to the invaluable cooperation and efforts of residents, Wake Forest recorded a significant decrease in recycling contamination over the next year.



In recent months, however, officials have noticed a steady increase in the number of contaminated recyclables in recycling carts throughout Wake Forest. As a result, the Town is reintroducing #RecycleRightWF.

The effort will address contamination by providing Wake Forest households with direct mail pieces, social media messaging, and concentrated feedback. Messaging will consistently remind residents who recycle to “Stick with These 6” - plastic bottles, jugs, and jars; metal cans; paper; and cardboard, and “Never These 9” - plastic bags, food waste, cups, to-go containers, paper towels, tiny things, plastic packaging, Styrofoam, and gloves/masks.

Northern Wake Senior Center - Adding Shine to Your Golden Years

The Northern Wake Senior Center, 235 E. Holding Ave., offers adults age 55 and older a full schedule of recreational activities, such as aerobics, line dancing, ballroom dancing, wood carving, painting, and craft making.



The center also provides several social events each month, as well as educational classes on subjects including computers, ceramics, and clay.

Town of Wake Forest app

The Town of Wake Forest (TOWF) offers a free smartphone app that provides direct access to useful information about Wake Forest and encourages two-way communication between the Town and its residents.

Over 5,000 Android and iPhone users have downloaded the app allowing them instant access to important information about Town programs, services and events.

Among its many functions, the TOWF app allows iPhone and Android users to:

• Receive breaking news messages;
• Utilize “SeeClickFix” for prompt action on street maintenance, lights, potholes and graffiti, using the app to send a photo and exact location of the problem;
• Access information about Town-sponsored events and events at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre;
• View Town job openings;
• Utilize the “Waste Wizard;”
• Access contact information for every Town department.

Android and iPhone users can access and install the correct version of the TOWF app by scanning the appropriate QR code below.

Tickets on sale for Renaissance Centre's 10th Anniversary Celebration Series

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre opened in November 2013 by encouraging visitors to “Imagine the Possibilities.” Now, the Renaissance Centre (RC) is commemorating its 10-year anniversary with a series of concerts, performances, and special events designed to highlight its impact as “the place” our community gathers to celebrate and enjoy the arts.

Realizing the Possibilities

Our Realizing the Possibilities Celebration Series continues with four performances of the Celtic Angels December 15-17 (Sold Out). The series extends into 2024 with Mesmerizing Magic featuring Jason Hudy on January 27, Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart on February 24, the Wake Forest Film Festival March 1-2, and two concerts featuring The Drifters on April 13 (Sold Out).

Tickets for all these concerts, shows, and performances are on sale now and going fast.

PRCR's RecConnect available, program registration underway

The September 2023-February 2024 edition of RecConnect is now available. Hard copies of the PRCR Program Guide are available at the Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St.; Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.; Joyner Park Community Center (JPCC), 701 Harris Road; Flaherty Park Community Center (FPCC), 1226 N. White St.; and Alston-Massenburg Center (AMC), 416 N. Taylor St.

Check out RecConnect for complete details on recreational programs, events, and activities for all age groups, including preschool, youth, and adult, scheduled from September 2023 through February 2024.

Wake Forest Farmers Market

The Wake Forest Farmers Market is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating our community about the value of local farms and the importance of local food systems.

From October-March, the Farmers Market operates Saturdays from 10 a.m.-noon along South Taylor Street behind the Wake Forest Town Hall.