Move over, American Idol: Wake Forest Arts is looking for local talent to perform at its signature Six Sundays in Spring concerts. As part of its 25th Anniversary Celebration, Wake Forest ARTS is announcing Wake Forest Has Talent!, its first-ever talent competition. Designed as a showcase for the myriad of talent in the area and a fundraiser for the organization, the group is inviting performers of all ages and genres to enter the competition. “We’re excited to launch this inaugural competition during our 25th year,” said Mary Petretich, president of the board of Wake Forest ARTS. “We think it’s a great way to give area performers a chance to show off their talents. So whether you’re a singer, a band, a juggler, or a comedian – we want to hear from you!” The competition will begin with performers submitting videos to Wake Forest ARTS. Contestants simply upload their audition video

If you are in need of a good laugh or two – or a whole evening that tickles your funny bone – then hurry up to get your tickets for the annual Comedy Night hosted by the Wake Forest Rotary Club and the Wake Forest High School Band Boosters. This year’s event will be held at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre from 6:30 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28. The $30 tickets give each person entry to an evening of laughter, music and food. There will be heavy hors d’oeuvres provided by the Main Street Grille Pizzeria & Restaurant, Milton’s Pizza & Pasta, Olive Garden, Over the Falls Deli, CiCi’s Pizza, Chick Fil-A, La Foresta Italian Café, PDQ Fresh Tenders, P.F. Chang’s, Shucker’s, Thai Café and The Forks; a cash bar; and live music as well as an auction and raffles. Sponsors so far are Green & Wooten, Holding

Wake Electric Scholarships is now accepting applications for the following 2015 scholarships: The Fred M. Alford Memorial Scholarship Wake Electric awards one Fred M. Alford Memorial scholarship of $2,000. This scholarship is in memory of former Wake Electric employee Fred M. Alford. Requirements for the Fred M. Alford Memorial Scholarship include: Must be a child of or under legal guardianship of a Wake Electric member or live in a home served by Wake Electric Must be a high school graduating senior (cannot already be attending college) Must pursue a four-year undergraduate baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution in North Carolina Touchstone Energy® Scholarships 16 scholarships of $1,250 are awarded.  Requirements include: Must be a child of or under legal guardianship of a Wake Electric member or live in a home served by Wake Electric Must use these funds at a North Carolina college or university, community college, vocational or technical

The Northeast Piedmont Chorale and St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church cordially invite you to register for The First Annual Northeast Piedmont SPRING SING on Saturday, April 18, 2015. Together, the Northeast Piedmont Chorale and St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church will host an all-day choral workshop culminating in a concert, conducted by world reknowned choral clinician and composer, Sally K. Albrecht. The workshop, from 8:30 a.m. on April 18th, with music rehearsal until 3:30 p.m., is open to all with prior registration. Anyone who likes to sing, even if not currently a member of a choir, is invited to register. Registration is open only until February 28, 2015. The cost is $20 covering snacks, a hot lunch, and all your music, which you may keep. The concert at 4 p.m. that day is free and open to the public. The workshop and concert will be held in the St.

The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Reverse Raffle will be held Friday, March 20, 2015, from 6 – 10 p.m. at The Renaissance Center, 405 S. Brooks Street in historic downtown Wake Forest. Tickets cost $125 each and admit two people to the drawing party. The last ticket to be drawn will win $10,000! This year’s event, sponsored by Focus Design Builders LLC, takes place during March Madness and will have a fun sports theme. Basketball games will be broadcast live on televisions provided by CenturyLink. Come dressed in your favorite team colors or jerseys, and enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, a 50/50 raffle sponsored by KB Home, and live and silent auctions featuring vacation packages, spa services, and more. Tickets may be purchased at the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, located at 350 S. White Street; by calling the Chamber at (919) 556-1519; or from any

If you have been a subscriber to The Wake Forest Gazette and now find you are not receiving weekly notices that the new issue is on line, the problem lies in the software for the paper’s email service, Mailchimp. If a subscriber’s inbasket is full or if there are other reasons why the email would not accept the Gazette notice, it will be listed as bumped. If that condition continues, Mailchimp will list that subscriber as unsubscribed and stop sending notices. To remedy the situation, if you want to receive the weekly notices, please re-subscribe.

Who knows what weather whammy Mother Nature plans to throw next at the Triangle and the Wake Forest Farmers Market, but you can be assured there will be a few hardy vendors in Renaissance Plaza Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon. However, you can count on a variety of meats, honey and honey products, baked goods, cheese and other local raised/produced items and eggs are possible though they are always chancy in the winter; hens are not fond of short cold days. The market will be open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon through March. It will return to summer hours, 8 a.m. to noon, in April. See the market on Facebook, take a look at all the vendors and their wares as well as special events at www.wakeforestfarmersmarket.org or call 919-671-9269 if you need information.  

*The Wake Forest Farmers Market will be open in Renaissance Plaza on Brooks Street from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 28. *A Night of Comedy jointly sponsored by the Wake Forest High School Band Boosters and the Wake Forest Rotary Club will be held Saturday, Feb. 28, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Renaissance Centre on Brooks Street. See article in this issue for other details including tickets. *The Wake Forest Town Board will hold its regular monthly work session Tuesday, March 3, at 5:30 p.m. in the Wake Forest Town Hall’s second-floor meeting room. *The Wake Forest Planning Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the second-floor meeting room of the Wake Forest Town Hall on Brooks Street. *The Wake Forest Town Board will hold a closed session at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, to review the applicants for the position