Wake Forest is gearing up for two days of Fourth of July celebrations again, with the stadium show and fireworks lined up for the evening of Wednesday, July 3, and the Children’s Parade set for Thursday morning on North Main Street immediately followed by Art-in-the-Park and Games-in-the-Park. The next step, of course, is a refreshing dip in the new Holding Park Aquatic Center.
The Town of Wake Forest now organizes the stadium show and fireworks, all free, and the Wake Forest Fourth of July Committee organizes the parade and events in Holding Park, again all free. Again this year, thanks to the Town of Wake Forest and Kerr Family YMCA, there will be a free shuttle service to Wednesday night’s program. Details are explained below.
The fireworks spectacular will be held in Husky Stadium on the Heritage High School campus, with gates opening at 5:30 p.m., a program beginning at 6 p.m. and the 20-minute fireworks display beginning at dusk. It is presented by PowerSecure.
Sleeping Booty, one of the area’s most popular party bands, will headline the stadium show. Area residents can sit on the home side stadium bleachers or bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit in the football field or one of the designated viewing areas on the high school campus.
Picnic baskets and/or coolers will be allowed, but alcoholic beverages, smoking, glass and pets are strictly prohibited on the school campus. In addition, no bicycles are allowed inside the stadium, and no chairs or blankets will be permitted on the stadium track.
Concessions, including hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn and snow cones, will be available for purchase at the stadium concession stand. A variety of food and dessert trucks will also be on site, including Charlie’s Kabob, Brooklyn Boys Pizza, Soul Fresh Spring Rolls, Fuzzy’s Empanadas, Mr. Cheesesteak, The Wandering Moose, Bulkogi, BBQ Proper, Lumpy’s, Kona Ice, Jays Italian Ice, Sunshine Girls Lemonade, Frostbites and Bruster’s Real Ice Cream.
Individuals with sensory sensitivities can check out sensory support items, including noise canceling headphones, weighted blankets and fidgets, at the Wake Forest Information Tent located inside Husky Stadium. Anyone wishing to obtain one or more of these items will be required to provide a photo ID which will be returned upon checking the items back in. For more information, contact Specialized Recreation Specialist Kelly Schurtz at kschurtz@wakeforestnc.gov<mailto:kschurtz@wakeforestnc.gov>.
Handicap parking (by identification only) and regular parking will be available in designated areas on the school campus. Parking is prohibited along Forestville Road and Foundation Drive. Some parking lots in the area may appear to be public, when in fact they are private. Read all signage in the lot to determine what type of lot you are using. Private lots are intended for business patrons only. Since parking may be limited, area residents are encouraged to make plans with family members and friends to carpool to Heritage High School or take advantage of the free shuttle service.
A free shuttle service will be offered again this year, compliments of the Kerr Family YMCA and the Town of Wake Forest. Beginning at 5 p.m., area residents are invited to park at one of the following locations, then hop on a bus for the short trip to Heritage High School:
* Smith Creek Soccer Center, 690 Heritage Lake Road;
* Hope Lutheran Church, 3525 Rogers Road;
* Heritage Middle School, 3400 Rogers Road;
* Heritage Elementary School, 3500 Rogers Road.
The shuttles will drop off visitors in one location on the Heritage High School campus. The final shuttle will depart the school at approximately 11 p.m.
The free shuttles will run continuously on dedicated travel lanes along Forestville Road from 5 to 11 p.m. The center turn lanes along portions of Forestville Road, from Rogers Road to the Heritage High School campus, and Rogers Road, from Forestville Road to South Franklin Street, will serve as the shuttle bus travel lanes. As a result, motorists traveling north along Forestville Road will be unable to turn left onto Rogers Road, while motorists traveling east along Rogers Road will be unable to turn left onto Heritage Lake Road.
Due to the popularity of the fireworks show, motorists should expect delays along all roads in the vicinity of Heritage High School, especially Rogers Road, Forestville Road and Heritage Lake Road. Anyone not planning to attend the Fireworks Spectacular is encouraged to avoid the area and choose an alternate route.
An event map highlighting important points of interest at this year’s Fireworks Spectacular, including parking, restrooms, concessions and more, is available on the Town’s website at http://bit.ly/WFFireworksSpectacular.
In case of inclement weather, updated event information about all the Independence Day festivities will be posted on the Town’s website, Nextdoor site and Facebook page and available by calling the Wake Forest Weather Line at 919-435-9569. Smart phone users who have downloaded the Town’s app will also receive a push notification message concerning any schedule changes.
The following sponsors have generously contributed to the 2019 Independence Day Celebration: PowerSecure, Gladwell Orthodontics, Capital PowerSports, Capital Chevrolet, Mitchell Heating & Cooling, O2 Fitness Clubs, Foxy 107/104, The College at Southeastern, McPherson Family Eye Care, Kerr Family YMCA, Sam’s Club, Mosquito Joe of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, British Swim School, Vision Martial Arts, Thomas Walters Allstate, Code Ninjas, Candlewood Suites, Hope Lutheran, Wild Birds Unlimited, Champion Windows and Wake Forest Woman’s Club.
For more information about Wake Forest’s 2019 Independence Day Celebration, including the Fireworks Spectacular, Children’s Parade and Art in the Park, visit http://bit.ly/WFIndependenceDayCelebration.
