The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce will host a forum with the seven candidates for three seats on the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre at 405 South Brooks Street. The seven candidates are Greg Bartholomew, Jim Dyer, Heather Holding, current Commissioner Anne Reeve, Chad Sary, Sean Sullivan and Adam Wright. The event is free and open to the public. Seats will be filled on a first-come basis. The forum with each candidate speaking will be first followed by a meet-and-greet when the people present can meet and talk with each candidate. Wake Forest residents who are unable to attend the forum can watch a rebroadcast of the event on Wake Forest TV 10 (WFTV 10) or on the town’s website at www.wakeforestnc.gov/communications/wftv-10<https://www.wakeforestnc.gov/communications/wftv-10>. Beginning Friday, Oct. 25, the unedited forum will be rebroadcast daily through Election Day

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts will host three performances of Live from Nashville – Merry Country Christmas on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14-15. Saturday’s show time is 7 p.m., while Sunday show times are 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. It’s a Merry Country Christmas indeed, when all your favorite Christmas songs are presented in authentic Nashville country style with dazzling guitars and fiddles along with soaring harmonies. The joy of Christmas comes to you in this delightful production of toe-tapping, heartfelt music of the holidays. From the fun of “Old Saint Nick” to the profoundly moving “Oh Come all Ye Faithful,” and from the playful “Up on the Housetop” to the poignant “Silent Night,” songs of fun, faith and hope are presented by the finest musicians and singers steeped in the traditions of America’s genre – country! Tickets are $25 each plus tax and can be purchased

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department and the Northeast Community Coalition are partnering to offer Wake Forest residents an afternoon of family-friendly fun and share useful information during Unity in the Community on Saturday, Nov. 9. Free and open to everyone, the inaugural event will take place from noon to 2 p.m. both inside and outside the Alston-Massenburg Center at 416 North Taylor Street. Featuring free food, music and fun, Unity in the Community will also present several local churches and community organizations interacting with residents and sharing information about resources and services they offer. Churches scheduled to participate on Nov. 9 include St. John’s Episcopal Church, Olive Branch Baptist Church, Wake Forest United Methodist Church, Friendship Chapel Baptist Church, Wake Forest Baptist Church and Church of God of Prophecy of Wake Forest. The participating local organizations include Dress for Success, Smart Start, Temple Vitality, Fundamental IQ

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts will host two performances of Joshua Lozoff’s Life is Magic on Friday, Nov. 22. Showtimes are 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. From his full stage show to his closeup Strolling Magic, Joshua Lozoff’s performances combine his love for the art of magic with his fascination with psychology and the powers of observation and influence. In one moment, he makes a drawing come to life just by pointing, and in the next he predicts an audience member’s choices even before she knows them herself. An evening spent with Joshua will amaze and entertain the entire family! To learn more about Joshua Lozoff, visit https://joshualozoff.com/. Tickets are $12 each plus tax for adults and $10 for children and seniors and can be purchased online with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit card at www.wakeforestrencen.org/tickets-events<http://www.wakeforestrencen.org/tickets-events>. Advance tickets may also be purchased with cash, check or

The Alzheimer’s Association – Eastern North Carolina Chapter will host an advocacy training session on Tuesday, Oct. 29 for residents throughout Eastern North Carolina. Advocacy In Action will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Wake Forest Town Hall at 301 South Brooks Street. Those not able to attend can participate online via a webinar. The training will touch on: current legislative priorities and grassroots advocacy efforts at both the state and federal level; volunteer opportunities as a State Champion or Congressional Team Member; how to be an effective advocate; and how to get connected to local advocacy resources. The session is free, but registration is required. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP online at https://tinyurl.com/AdvocacyInActionOct29. For questions, contact Scott Herrick at sherrick@alz.org or by calling 336-814-3721. “The fight against Alzheimer’s isn’t a red or blue issue; it’s both. More than five million Americans – including 170,000 North Carolina residents – are living with Alzheimer’s; the most

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department will sponsor its annual Halloween Spooktacular on Thursday, Oct. 24, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at the new Joyner Park Community Center at 701 Harris Road. Presented by Tuscan Ridge Animal Hospital and Champion Windows, Sunrooms & Home Exteriors, the Halloween Spooktacular is a free, family-oriented festival for children ages 12 and younger. This year’s festivities will include a balloon artist and cupcake walk, along with a variety of ghostly games and activities, and free pumpkin giveaways – while supplies last. Costumes are optional, but best costumes will be featured on the Town’s website and social media pages. For the last several years, the PRCR Department offered the Halloween Spooktacular at the Flaherty Park Community Center. Due to the event’s tremendous popularity, organizers decided to relocate the event to the more spacious Joyner Park Community Center. Anyone planning to attend is

The Town of Wake Forest will host a Smart Cycling class for beginners on Saturday, Oct. 26, and advanced riders on Saturday, Nov. 2. Both sessions will be offered from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the ground floor meeting room of town hall at 301 South Brooks Street. Designed for ages 14 and older, Smart Cycle Classes emphasize safe riding techniques, the proper way to scan for automobiles, intersection safety tips, how to avoid road hazards, such as tree limbs, pot holes and rocks, and more. Each class is $25 per person and $15 for each additional family member (limit four family members per class). Advance registration is required at http://wakeforestnc.recdesk.com/recdeskportal/<http://wakeforestnc.recdesk.com/recdeskportal/?fbclid=IwAR3EohdDGhAL_Oh6ZaKm1dL6RLrA1j2CeCsosntu0Jd6XH948Nt_YFpU9Hs>. On the day of the class participants should bring their own bicycles and helmets. Both sessions will begin with classroom instruction, continue with a variety of bicycle drills in the town hall visitor parking lot (located along Brooks Street),

The NC Symphony will present a free Music Discovery & Instrument Zoo on Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts, 405 South Brooks Street. Geared for preschool and elementary age children and their families, this hands-on musical activity will feature NC Symphony musician Erik Dyke reading a children’s book followed by an interactive demonstration of orchestra instruments. Attendees will learn how instruments of the orchestra make their sounds and hear examples of classical and popular music. Afterwards, audience members will have the opportunity to try their favorite instrument in the instrument zoo. This Music Discovery program is sponsored by PNC’s Grow Up Great initiative, promoting literacy and arts education for preschoolers and their families. #

Beginning Monday, Oct. 14, the Wake Forest Loop or WFL, a weekday, fare-free bus for residents traveling within Wake Forest and a portion of Wakefield, will expand to offer an early/late extension along North Main Street and a mid-day extension into Heritage. At 6:32 a.m., 7:32 a.m., 8:32 a.m. and 9:32 a.m., the WFL will depart Wake Forest Crossing, 12536 Capital Blvd., and make stops at the intersections of North Main Street/East Oak Avenue and North Wingate Street/West Oak Avenue before proceeding to the CVS Pharmacy stop at the intersection of North White Street/Roosevelt Avenue. The late extension will repeat the sequence hourly from 4:32 p.m. to 7:32 p.m. The mid-day extension into Heritage will be offered hourly from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. At the top of each hour, the WFL will depart downtown Wake Forest and travel to a bus stop at the intersection of Heritage Branch Road/Branch

We’ve been blessed with a new donor of fresh produce.  We can use some help on Friday mornings between 9 and 11:30.  You’ll help us unload our van and sort/pack the produce for storage.  If you’re able to help, please email Sandy Matthews. Also, we need volunteers to help set up tables and chairs at the Wake Forest Presbyterian Church on Thursday, October 17.  We’ll need six people between 8:30 and approximately 10:30. Click HERE to sign up. Contact Dennis Beemer for additional info. We need volunteers to help move the silent auction baskets to Wake Forest Presbyterian Church on Thursday, October 17.  We’ll load the baskets to the TAM truck, and then unload them at the church. We’re looking for six people from 1 till approximately 3 p.m.  Click HERE to sign up. Contact Leslie DuBois for additional info. Finally, we’re looking for six people to help set up the silent auction displays and set the tables at Wake Forest