The Town of Wake Forest will offer free walking tours of the local Wake Forest Historic District on the following dates and times: Wednesday, March 22; 10 am Wednesday, March 29; 1 pm Wednesday, April 5; 10 am Wednesday, April 12; 10 am Wednesday, April 19; 1 pm Wednesday, May 3; 1 pm Wednesday, May 10; 10 am Wednesday, May 17; 1 pm Led by architectural historian and Town Historic Preservation Planner Michelle Michael, the tours will include areas along North Main Street, North Avenue, Front Street, and South Avenue. Along the way, each group will discuss the developmental and architectural history of the area, along with the significant men and women who lived in the homes. Tours will not include individual homes. Each tour is approximately two hours and will begin at the corner of North Main Street and Walnut Street and end at the Wake Forest Historical Museum, 414 N. Main St.

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts will present the All Laughs Matter comedy concert on Saturday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. Presented by The Blackpack, the concert will feature all-star headliners Vince Morris, BT and Bill D. Washington – all on one stage – hilariously chipping at the walls of racial and social stereotypes. Simultaneously hilarious and thought-provoking, The Blackpack celebrates our differences, one joke at a time. Adding to the fun is a Q&A portion of the show, “Everything you ever wanted to ask a black man but were afraid to ask.” Their motto: Be yourself. Because everybody else is taken. The show is rated PG due to possible mature content. Advance tickets are $15 plus tax for adults and $13 plus tax for seniors and may be purchased online at www.wakeforestnc.gov/tickets-events.aspx with a Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express credit card. Tickets may also be purchased

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 8, at E. Carroll Joyner Park on Harris Road. Presented by Primrose School of Heritage Wake Forest, this free event will be packed full of crafts, games, food, prizes and a visit from the Easter Bunny. This year’s egg hunt will include over 15,000 eggs containing prizes and candy hidden across four locations for the following age groups: 3 and younger, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 and special needs. Children ages 3 and younger will hunt for eggs beginning at 10 a.m.; ages 4-6 will begin at 10:20 a.m.; ages 7-9 get underway at 10:40 a.m.; and ages 10-12 commence at 11 a.m. An egg hunt for children with special needs will begin at 11:30 a.m. A downloadable map of the egg hunt areas is available at www.wakeforestnc.gov/easter-egg-hunt.aspx. Registration is not required for

If you’re interested in how the Town of Wake Forest is managing our area’s explosive population growth, then don’t miss the upcoming session of “Wake Up Wake Forest.” The Town of Wake Forest and the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce will present the second in the series of morning information seminars on Tuesday, April 4, at 7:30 a.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St. Long-time Planning Director Chip Russell’s presentation, entitled “Managing Growth in Wake Forest,” will highlight the Town’s comprehensive growth strategy and describe the various tools it utilizes to manage high demographic growth, while striving to maintain Wake Forest’s small town character. All area residents are invited to attend, including both Chamber and non-Chamber members. Tickets are $10 each (plus tax), including breakfast, and available for purchase online at www.wakeforestnc.gov/wake-up-wake-forest.aspx. Wake Up Wake Forest is offered through a partnership between the Town of

The Rockin’ the Forest music series continues with 6 String Drag on Friday, March 24, at 8 p.m. in the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre on Brooks Street. After 16 years in hibernation, 6 String Drag is back to remind us a few things about real rock ‘n’ roll. In the late ‘90s, the Carolina quartet stood out as pioneers of the nascent alt-country movement. Their Steve Earle-produced LP, High Hat remains an undisputed classic of its era. Now battle-scarred and road-wizened, today’s 6 String Drag is the sound of kindred souls reunited, letting their own histories as human beings mingle freely around their shared love of classic, bygone sounds. Their exhilarating new recording, Roots Rock ‘N’ Roll, welds Kenny Roby and Rob Keller’s trademark harmonies to surging rhythms. Cut mostly live to tape, the effort is equal parts slap-back swagger and openhearted honesty – a triumphant return that celebrates rock’s first golden age

There are empty seats on two of the Wake Forest advisory board, the Historic Preservation Commission and the Human Rights Council. Anyone who lives in town or in its small extraterritorial jurisdiction may apply, but candidates for the historic preservation board must live in the North Main historic district. Professionals with historic preservation expertise are greatly urged to apply for the HPC, which is also the sponsor of the biennial historic holiday tour in December. Applicants are expected to attend the next meeting of the advisory board to which they applied to introduce themselves to the current board members and explain why they wish to serve on that board. The human relations council meets next on Thursday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m. in conference room 015 on the ground floor of town hall, and the historic preservation commission meets next on Wednesday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the ground

Area residents are invited to the Cougar Walk of Champions on Saturday, March 25, at 1 p.m. This one-of-a-kind community celebration will honor the 2016 Wake Forest High School football team, winners of last season’s 4AA state championship. The team’s championship appearance marked the fourth time in six seasons the Cougars advanced to the finals as the 4AA eastern regional champions and its football state title is the first for a Wake County school since 1987. The Cougar Walk of Champions will recognize the team for its consistency on the field, highlight the school’s place in the town’s history, and demonstrate the collective sense of pride shared by the Wake Forest community. A walking parade made up of the Wake Forest High School football team and coaching staff, marching band and varsity cheerleading squad will kick off the afternoon festivities. The procession will depart the Depot Parking Lot on South

The Town of Wake Forest and Downtown Wake Forest Inc. are planning a special event to celebrate the return of weather that’s perfect for enjoying the great outdoors. Promising something for the entire family, Wake Forest’s fourth annual Dirt Day will take place along South White Street in downtown Wake Forest on Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kids will have a blast playing in an oversized sandbox and making wheatgrass containers for home windowsills. Adults will have the chance to learn about the newest techniques in gardening and composting, participate in an outdoor fitness class, check out the newest in outdoor activity gear, and visit with a variety of vendors offering an array of products and insight. But that’s not all. Dirt Day participants can also hunt for shark teeth in pilings from the Aurora phosphate mine and look on as students from several area schools

Area residents are invited to attend the 17th Wake Forest Memorial Flag-Raising Ceremony on Monday, April 3, at 11 a.m. The program will take place in Centennial Plaza in front of the Wake Forest Town Hall and usher in the 2017 Wake Forest memorial flag-raising season. The April 3 service will honor Sgt. James Steffins, who served his nation in the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II. Members of Steffins’ family will participate in the ceremony which will include patriotic songs, special remarks, a memorial wreath laying and the ceremonial flag-raising. Following the raising of the American flag, the U.S. Marine Corps service flag will be raised in recognition of the military branch in which Steffins served. Both flags will fly in Centennial Plaza throughout April. Photographs and other remembrances of Steffins will also be displayed in Centennial Plaza during the ceremony, then in the town hall lobby through

This month’s Business After Hours will be hosted by the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts and the Town of Wake Forest. Join us on Thursday, March 23, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Renaissance Centre, 405 Brooks Street, to see their newly renovated Arts Annex building, which now includes a business suite and an art studio. During the event, the Renaissance Centre will have some free ticket giveaways to upcoming performances, and hors d’oeuvres will be catered by Papa Jack’s Catering. In addition, gospel/jazz pianist Ronald Williams will dazzle you with his musical talent! * * * * There may be a couple tickets unsold for this year’s Reverse Raffle at The Sutherland on Friday, March 17 and you can find them at the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce office on South White Street. The tickets are $125 each and admit two to the party. Only