The Wake Forest Community Christmas Dinner, now in its 70th year, was first held in 1947 as a way to show appreciation to the town’s returning World War II veterans. Organized by the Wake Forest Garden Club and the Civic Club, the original dinner was held in the Community House on Owen Avenue, which was decked in live greenery for the occasion. The event was a tremendous success and a new tradition was born. In the seventy years since, the Wake Forest Community Christmas Dinner has retained that spirit of giving and friendship and has become part of the story of Christmas in Wake Forest. The dinner still ranks among the very best celebrations the town has to offer each and every holiday season. Always held on the first Monday in December, this year’s Community Christmas Dinner will be at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 4, at the Forks Cafeteria,

Wake Forest Downtown, Inc., announces the Parade Grand Marshal and the event co-broadcasters for the 2017 Wake Forest Christmas Parade to be held in historic downtown Wake Forest on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 1 p.m. Participants from the Field of Dreams program will serve as Grand Marshal of the 70th annual parade. The program was founded in 2008 by Wake Forest High School teacher Gail Tucker and Wake Forest JROTC Command Sergeant Major Ginger Cribb. Each spring, the Field of Dreams baseball competition provides more than 200 local special needs students with an opportunity to get involved in high school athletics. The Grand Marshal float, along with 120 other parade entries, will be announced by CBS North Carolina News Anchor Sharon Tazewell and UNC Rex Healthcare’s Bonnie Little who will serve as parade co-broadcasters stationed on South White Street. Tazewell anchors the WNCN local evening news, a job she’s held since

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department will sponsor the D.R.I.V.E. (Dedication, Reach, Innovative, Vision, Endurance) for Success Men’s Empowerment Workshop on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 North Taylor Street. Designed for young men ages 11 through 18 and hosted by Wake Forest Commissioner Anne Reeve and Parks Director Ruben Wall, the free workshop will focus on a variety of topics of importance to young men. Featured speakers will include Kendall Harris, YMCA of the Triangle Area Director of Association Programs; Gerod Farmer, author, speaker, coach and business consultant; and Anthony Rodriquez, speaker. A limited number of seats are available, and pre-registration is required at http://wakeforestnc.recdesk.com/recdeskportal/. All attendees will be entered in a prize drawing for a gift basket valued at $50 and enjoy a free continental breakfast. For more information, contact Programs Superintendent Monica Lileton at 919-435-9560 ormlileton@wakeforestnc.gov.

The Wake Forest Town Hall and other administrative offices will be closed Friday, Nov. 10, in observance of the Veterans Day holiday. Yard waste collection will be suspended Nov. 10, but police, garbage, recycling, and bulk pick-up services will not be interrupted. Wake Forest Bus Service, including the Wake Forest-Raleigh Express and the Wake Forest Loop, will also follow the normal schedule. During the week of Nov. 6, Town crews will complete the normal five-day yard waste collection cycle in four days beginning with Monday’s route and ending with Friday’s route. So, for example, on Monday crews may run Monday’s route and a portion of Tuesday’s route, then on Tuesday finish Tuesday’s route and complete a portion of Wednesday’s route. In order to ensure that all neighborhoods are serviced properly, residents are urged to leave their normal yard waste and loose leaves in separate piles at the curb by 7 a.m. Monday,

The 2017 Rockin’ the Forest music series concludes on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 8 p.m. with Matt Phillips & The Back Pocket. The concert will take place inside the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts at 405 Brooks Street. Matt Phillips & The Back Pocket is a soulful band that strives to make music people can get behind. After aging out of his high-school band, Cole Park, Matt Phillips continued his solo career into college at ECU. With folk and soul roots as deep as the cracks in his weathered acoustic, Matt has crafted his songwriting skills working alongside Django Haskins (International Orange, The Old Ceremony) and began pumping out songs known for their emotionality and loveable lyrics. With nearly 300 shows already under their belt, Matt Phillips & The Back Pocket combines stellar songwriting, soulful vocals, and a full ensemble of musicians into a unique band with a