You’re invited to Forest Fest on Saturday, April 20, in historic downtown Wake Forest. Presented by Wake Forest Downtown, Inc. in association with the Town of Wake Forest and a host of community partners, this free family-friendly event is scheduled from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. – rain or shine – in several areas throughout the downtown area. Celebrating the heart and history of Wake Forest, Forest Fest will include the Wake Forest Guild of Artists Spring Art Market inside the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.; extended hours by the Wake Forest Farmers Market along South Taylor Street; and a variety of local vendors, non-profit booths, and children’s activities along East Owen Avenue, Brooks Street, and the Town Hall parking lot. Centennial Plaza will feature live musical entertainment and Blooming in the Forest. In addition, the Urban Forestry Board (UFB) will again host the popular Arbor Day Tree Seedling Giveaway in

Come join the Wake Forest Garden Club as it celebrates its 100th anniversary with garden art tours Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27, 1 to 5 p.m. both days. Tour the beautiful gardens and enjoy Wake Forest’s talented artists showcasing his/her talent in each garden. Their beautiful art work will be for sale. As a special Centennial treat, many gardens will feature dazzling floral designs by local florists. Garden tour tickets are $30 per person which includes admission to the gardens on both Friday and Saturday. Tickets will go on sale on March 15th at Page l58 Book Store, Wake Forest, 415-B Brooks St. Wake Forest, Southern Suds, 213 S. White Street, Wake Forest, and online at www.wfgardenclub.org.Tickets will also be available both days of the Garden Tour at the Wake Forest Historical Museum, 414 N. Main Street, Wake Forest. The Wake Forest Garden Club uses the proceeds from

The Wake Forest Technology Advisory Board is inviting area elementary, middle, and high school students and their families to the 2024 Wake Forest STEM Saturday on Saturday, April 27. Presented by the Wireless Research Center, this free family networking event is scheduled from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road. Celebrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, STEM Saturday will expose students in grades K-12 to a variety of STEM career options, while featuring STEM-related exhibits, demonstrations, and hands-on learning activities. STEM Saturday will also include several interactive booths where representatives from a variety of local businesses, schools, and organizations will engage with parents and students, share professional insights and experiences, and offer an array of interesting demonstrations. Throughout STEM Saturday, youth can experience the wonders of STEM hands-on, ask questions, and be inspired to pursue a degree or occupation in a related field. A special thanks

Voting is now open for the 2024 Wake Forest Tree of the Year. From now through 5 p.m. Friday, April 19, residents can visit http://bit.ly/WFTreeofYear and vote for their favorite tree. Five local trees were selected as finalists for this year’s award. The tree that receives the most votes before the 5 p.m. April 19 deadline will be announced as the winner.  The submitter of the winning tree will be awarded with a certificate crowning their tree as the 2024 Wake Forest Tree of the Year. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/WFTreeofYear or email Urban Forestry Program Manager Luke Devores at ldevores@wakeforestnc.gov. ###

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department will commemorate “National Physical Fitness Month” in May by offering a 50-Mile Walking Challenge for area residents ages 11 and older. Residents who accept the walking challenge commit to walk at least 50 miles in May and use a tracking card to record their progress. Walking locations may include neighborhoods, schools, churches, parks, and greenways – just to name a few. There is no cost to participate, and online registration is open through Friday, April 26, at https://wakeforestnc.recdesk.com/Community/Home (search “Walking Challenge”). Tracking cards will be emailed to all registered participants and available for pickup at Joyner Park Community Center (JPCC), 701 Harris Road. The first 100 participants to complete at least 50 miles and return their completed tracking cards to JPCC by Monday, June 3, will receive a 50-Mile Walking Challenge T-shirt. For more information about the 50-Mile Walking Challenge and the May

The 44th annual Trentini Dinner will be held in the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre Thursday, April 18, and will celebrate seven Wake Forest High School students who are examples of the qualities Coach Anthony Trentini instilled and expected from his students and players. Those students are Alexander Schnegelberger, Alexandria Vasquez, Jilian Weidner, Lily Hare, Niah Smith and Roderick Alston. This year’s Trentini Community College Scholarship winner is Dylan Medlin.  The $20 tickets are available by going to www.trentinifoundation.org or mailing a request to Trentini Foundation, PO Box 806, Wake Forest, NC 27587. Please also enclose a deductible donation. Those donations are crucial to the Trentini Foundation’s success and its ability to provide scholarships to our graduating seniors. At the first dinner in 1981, the selected student received a $500 scholarship; now the winner receives a $30,000 scholarship and the other finalists receive $1,000 each. Another student receives a $1,000 scholarship

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department will offer a free outdoor fitness series five nights a week in May at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Free and open to area residents of all ages, May Month of Fitness will consist of the following weekly classes: All classes are free and require no registration. Each will be offered on its respective night from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Joyner Park Amphitheater. During the Women’s Self Defense classes, instructors from Quest Martial Arts will teach participating women a variety of techniques to avoid danger and defend themselves if necessary. Sessions will focus on practical and instinctive methods to get you out of harm’s way. Participants are encouraged to bring water. Cynergy Fit is an Outdoor Bootcamp Community in Wake Forest. Personal Trainer Cyndie Daniel will motivate, challenge and train participants to be stronger, faster, and better than the day

The Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Advisory Board will host a family-friendly 5K/3K walk/run as part of National Trails Day on Saturday, June 1, at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Check-in on the day of the event starts at 7 a.m., and the race begins at 8 a.m. Online registration is available at https://bit.ly/WFNationalTrailsDay. The entry fee for the 5K is $25 before March 31; $30 from April 1-May 14; $35 from May 15-30; and $40 the day before and day of the race. The entry fee for the 3K is $20 before March 31; $25 from April 1-May 14; $30 May 15-30; and $35 the day before and day of the race. Please note: Registrations will be accepted on the day of the event. Everyone who registers before May 15 will receive a race T-shirt. The National Trails Day 5K/3K is a timed walk/run for children and adults.

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department and Page 158 Books are partnering to offer a free program throughout April that encourages families to read while enjoying the greenways at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. StoryWalk is an innovative and interactive way for readers of all ages to enjoy a story and the outdoors at the same time. It’s also an effective way for young readers to practice active reading skills. Throughout April, pages from the children’s picture book, “Billy Bully Frog Learns to Love,” by Lizzie McInerney, will be displayed on posts along the Joyner Park trails. As you stroll along the path, you will be directed to the next page in the story. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson. In addition

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department is partnering with Pickles and Play to host the 2024 Wake Forest Spring Smash Pickleball Tournament Friday-Sunday, May 3-5, at the Flaherty Park Pickleball Courts and Tennis Complex, 1226 N. White St. The entry fee is $45 per player, plus $10 for each additional event. Complete tournament details, including registration information, are available at https://bit.ly/WFPickleball. The registration deadline is Sunday, April 28. For more information about the Spring Smash Pickleball Tournament, email Tournament Director Lisa Groeschner at Egroeschner@gmail.com. Pickleball began in Wake Forest in 2009 on one chalked tennis court. Today, the sport has grown to include three shared use indoor courts at Flaherty Park Community Center, three shared use indoor courts at Joyner Park Community Center, eight shared use outdoor courts at Flaherty Park Tennis Courts, and four dedicated outdoor courts at Flaherty Park. Since 2013, the Town has installed 32 shared use and