(This statement was released by the Town of Wake Forest last week and is repeated here before the next-to-last concert in 2023. The article about this Friday’s is FNOW is below in the News.)
Since 2016, Friday Night on White (FNOW) has been one of our community’s most popular outdoor events attracting thousands of people from Wake County and beyond to our charming downtown.
From the very beginning, we have tried to provide people of all ages a fun and entertaining experience in a safe environment. Based on the incredible turnout FNOW enjoys each month from April through September, it’s safe to say we’ve been somewhat successful – even though the weather forecast calls for thunderstorms on the day of the event roughly 99.9% of the time.
Unfortunately, over the past two years, we have noticed a disturbing trend. More and more we are witnessing incidents of unruly and inappropriate behavior involving unattended children and teens.
So far, this year alone, Wake Forest Police have dispersed several fights and responded to numerous reports of property damage involving our downtown businesses. FNOW organizers and Town staff have also witnessed and received reports of children and teens harassing business owners and loitering in stores and parking lots after being asked to leave.
Police officials say many of the people responsible for these disturbances were unsupervised teens and pre-teens who had been dropped off at the event.
While a vast majority of the young people that attend Friday Night on White behave responsibly, there is a small percentage that are disruptive. That’s why we’re asking parents and caregivers to help us preserve the FNOW experience for our downtown merchants and visitors by supervising their children.
With your help, we can fulfill our commitment to ensure that FNOW offers a positive atmosphere where friends and family gather for a time of safe fun.
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September 7, 2024
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