Special events are a key contributor to Wake Forest’s exceptional quality of life. In addition to numerous Town-organized annual events, such as Friday Night on White, Fireworks Spectacular, Good Neighbor Day, and Halloween Boo Bash, Wake Forest residents also enjoy many “Community Events.” These are Town-permitted special events in a public area (Festival Street/East Owen Avenue, South White Street, etc.) that a business, church, community group, or other organization plans, manages, pays for, and executes after applying for and receiving a Special Event Permit. Examples of “Community Events” include Meet in the Street (Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce), Cars & Carnivores (Wake Forest Rotary Club), and the Lighting of Wake Forest (Wake Forest Downtown, Inc.) – just to name a few.
As part of the Town’s process for permitting Community Events, Wake Forest staff must approve the event location and may require the involvement of Police, Public Works, and/or other Town departments, as necessary. In such instances, Community Event organizers are invoiced for the cost of Town staff required to work at these events.
As Wake Forest continues to grow, so too does the number of requests the Town receives for Community Event permits. This often results in two or more community groups and organizations vying for the same dates, locations, and Town resources to accommodate their respective events.
To address this challenge, Wake Forest recently updated its Special Event Application Approval Process. Complete information on this new process is available at www.wakeforestnc.gov/special-events-policy.
As part of the new process, Wake Forest will begin accepting Community Special Event Applications annually on September 1 for events scheduled the following calendar year. So, for example, beginning Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, Wake Forest will accept Community Special Event Applications for events planned in 2025.
Applications received in September will be reviewed by a Special Events Committee comprised of Town staff. Applications will be considered and approved based on adherence to the Evaluation Criteria outlined at www.wakeforestnc.gov/special-events-policy. In the event two or more applicants apply for the same date, the Special Events Committee will utilize an objective scoring mechanism to determine the application that best meets the Evaluation Criteria.
Event applications received after October 1 for the following year will be reviewed and approved on a “first come, first serve” basis – provided the proposed event meets the Evaluation Criteria.
In addition to updating its Special Event Application Approval Process, Wake Forest is in the process of revising its Special Events Policy which may result in changes to current event requirements. For more information, visit www.wakeforestnc.gov/special-events-policy or contact Organizational Performance Director Lisa Hayes at lhayes@wakeforestnc.gov.
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