The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department and the PRCR Advisory Board are updating the 2015 PRCR Master Plan through “Play It Forward Wake Forest,” a campaign to raise awareness about the initiative and encourage community participation in the process. Citizen input is the cornerstone of “Play It Forward,” so we want to hear from you. You’re invited to visit https://engagewakeforest.org/parks-recreation-master-plan-update and complete Community Survey #3 to rate your satisfaction with Wake Forest parks and facilities. You may also complete the survey at the following PRCR facilities during normal operating hours:Alston-Massenburg Center,416 N. Taylor St.;Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N. White St.; and Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road. The comprehensive survey is available through Friday, March 22, and takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The PRCR Master Plan reflects the Town’s vision of a vibrant community that responds to the needs and desires of its residents and

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department will host its first-ever Easter Eggstravaganza on Saturday, March 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Presented by Bumgarner & Martin Orthodontics and Skylift Garage Doors, this free family event will offer a fresh approach to the traditional egg hunt. This year, instead of different age groups “scrambling” for eggs at assigned times, children and their families are invited to stroll along the “Bunny Trail” and collect their eggs any time between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The festivities will also feature DJ Royal pumping out fun tunes, a roaming magician, bubble artist, Easter-themed crafts, and – of course – a visit from the Easter Bunny. Registration is not required, but participants should come with baskets in hand ready to fill at designated stops along the Bunny Trail. The following local businesses

Wake Forest Power (WFP) recently implemented a new Outage Management System (OMS) that utilizes one phone number to make reporting power outages and other issues easier. The new OMS will also allow WFP to introduce an online outage map later this year. Featuring Interactive Voice Response (IVR), WFP’s new automated phone system allows customers to dial 919-435-9478 to report a power outage, make a payment, start/stop service, reconnect electric service, and report a street light outage. Previously, customers had to call a different number to report outages. WFP officials say having one number for customers to call 24 hours a day simplifies the outage reporting process and enhances the overall customer experience. Later this year, WFP will introduce an outage map on the Town of Wake Forest website (wakeforestnc.gov). The tool will assist in keeping WFP customers informed of outages and the status of those outages. It will also show

The Wake Forest Human Relations Council will host the 2024 Minority & Women-Owned Business Expo Saturday, March 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road. The event is free and open to everyone. Over 20 area minority and women-owned businesses are expected to participate in the expo designed to increase recognition and opportunities for minority and women business owners in our community. Local businesses already scheduled to participate include Aging Care Matters, Ataraxis Travel, Body20, Cryo Wake Forest Recovery & Wellness Spa, Kwench Juice Café, Remarkable Reflexology LLC, and Well Kept Brands. To view a complete list of participating businesses, visit https://bit.ly/WFMinorityWomenOwnedBusinessExpo.  According to a 2023 report, of all US businesses, only 2% are Black-owned, just 6% are Hispanic-owned, and only 5% are women-owned. The 2024 Minority & Women-Owned Business Expo will bring enterprising professionals together from the Wake Forest community to network and showcase their

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department is partnering withPlay4Life Comics to host a Comic Book & Toy Expo Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N. White St. Free and open to everyone, the expo will feature over 20 vendors of your favorite pop culture nostalgia offering for sale vintage comics, rare action figures, popular Pokemon cards, and more. The PRCR Department has scheduled future Comic Book & Toy Expos on June 19 and November 9. For more information, email Community Center Supervisor Grayson Pridgen at 919-554-6726 or gpridgen@wakeforestnc.gov.

The Rotary Club of Wake Forest announces its 2nd annual Cars and Carnivores Street Festival featuring a steak cookoff competition, car show, vendors and food booths on Saturday, March 23, 2024, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. in historic downtown Wake Forest.   Following last year’s success, the free street festival on Brooks Street and Owen Avenue combines a love for classic cars with the passion for grilling while raising funds to pay off past-due medical bills for local cancer patients.   “Our inaugural event raised enough money to erase the medical debt of 26 local cancer patients through our partnership with WakeMed Health & Hospitals,” said Johnny Whitfield, Wake Forest Rotary club president. “We believe alleviating financial stress for cancer patients and their families during difficult times is important in our community. By entering the car show and steak cookoff, becoming a sponsor, attending our free street festival and buying lunch from our

Wake Electric members are invited to the electric cooperative’s annual meeting at 7 p.m. Friday, March 22, in the auditorium at Louisburg College. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. Join other Wake Electric members in reviewing the business of your co-op, receive free gifts and get a chance to win $1,000. Wake Electric’s business is providing electricity, but our heart is empowering our members and building the communities we serve. Cooperative businesses are not-for-profit and exist to provide exceptional service to members, rather than to make a profit. At Wake Electric, we: ** Provide payment assistance to members in need. ** Award $70,000 in teacher grants each year. ** Support local nonprofits with quarterly grants through the member-funded We Care Foundation. ** Award scholarships for local students to attend basketball camps at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill. ** Hold three gift card drawings annually for students who make at least one

Due to popular demand, the Northern Community Food Security Team (NCFST) and Ripe for Revival have agreed to bring their mobile grocery store to Wake Forest on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 3-5 p.m. Offering fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy from local and regional farmers on a pay-what-you-can scale, the NCFST Mobile Market will return to 350 E. Holding Ave. (across from the Northern Regional Center) on Thursday, March 14, and again on Thursday, March 28. Open to everyone, the pay-what-you-can mobile grocery store makes fresh and local produce, proteins, dairy, eggs, and other food products accessible and affordable to all, regardless of their budget. When shopping, there are some limits on the amount of protein, dairy, and eggs a consumer can purchase, but no limits on produce. At checkout, shoppers will be given a suggested total. Shoppers can then pay the full amount, a portion of that amount, or

The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the 2024 Meet in the Street. The 42nd anniversary of Meet in the Street, presented by Allison Caudle with Southern Lux Living and coordinated by the Wake Forest Area Chamber, will be held Saturday, May 4, 2024 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm in downtown Wake Forest.  This premier arts & crafts, music and food festival will include more than 100 artisan booths featuring handmade items for sale, dozens of food trucks, live music throughout the day on two different stages, a children’s village filled with activities for kids, and more. Admission is free. Interested in being part of this event? The application window is NOW OPEN for 2024! Click the appropriate application below to download a fillable PDF application. Arts & Crafts VendorsFood VendorsNonprofits (Chamber member exclusive)Festival Business Booths & Sponsorships ###

The Town of Wake Forest is introducing a free education series for residents interested in learning how to reduce their environmental footprint. Offered by Sustainability Coordinator Jeanette Johnson, “Wake Forest Sustainability 101,” is comprised of six classes on topics ranging from composting and recycling to combating litter and creating household food circularity. Future sessions will include Earth Day Education (March 20); Communities Combating Litter (May 22); and Creating Household Food Circularity (July 24). Free and open to the public, each class is scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Public Works Operations Center, 234 Friendship Chapel Road, or Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. Online registration is open to the first 20 people to register for each class at https://bit.ly/WFSustainability101. Please note: Registrants may enroll in one or more classes and are not required to sign up for the entire series. For more information, contact Sustainability Coordinator Jeanette Johnson at