2022 Lighting of Wake Forest December 2

You’re invited to experience the wonder and magic of the holiday season at the annual Lighting of Wake Forest on Friday, Dec. 2. Sponsored by Holding Village and presented by Wake Forest Downtown, Inc. (WFD), the event is scheduled from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in Centennial Plaza, 301 S. Brooks St., and along East Owen Avenue. Please note: Mayor Vivian Jones is scheduled to light the Town’s 26-foot-tall Christmas tree in Centennial Plaza at approximately 6:15 p.m.

Centennial Plaza will host musical performances by choral groups from Heritage Elementary School, Heritage Middle School, and Wake Forest iSTEM Elementary School, while East Owen Avenue will be the site of roving LED performers and the following food trucks: Nomad Beverage Co., Not Just a Fry Guy, and The Naked Empanada. Crumbl Cookies of Wake Forest will also be on-site giving away free cookies while supplies last.

The Lighting of Wake Forest will also feature Santa Claus’ exciting arrival aboard a Wake Forest Fire Department fire truck, a children’s craft activity (sponsored by the Wake Forest Woman’s Club), and “Pictures with Santa” in the Town Hall lobby.

Guests planning to have a photo taken with Santa Claus must register in advance at https://bit.ly/WFSantaPics beginning Monday, Nov. 28, at noon. Designed to reduce wait times, each reservation will indicate the time guests should arrive at the line-up to have their photo taken with St. Nick. Pictures can be viewed and downloaded beginning Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Due to time constraints, Santa can only have his picture taken with a limited number of children during the Lighting of Wake Forest. However, WFD will also offer Pictures with Santa by reservation only as part of the Downtown Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Cotton Company Event Gallery, 306 S. White St.

Again, anyone planning to have a photo taken with Santa during the Lighting of Wake Forest or the Downtown Holiday Open House must register in advance at https://bit.ly/WFSantaPics beginning Monday, Nov. 28, at noon.

The following sponsors have generously contributed to the 2022 Lighting of Wake Forest: Holding Village; Bright Funeral Home; Roofstruction; Saving Grace Animals for Adoption; DAB International; Fidelity Bank; HighPark Nail Bar; Perry & Brandt, Attorneys at Law; The Corner & Meeting House of Wake Forest; Wake Forest Federal Savings & Loan; Wollett Construction Company; and WP Restoration.

The Lighting of Wake Forest is free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/LightingWF or contact Downtown Development Program Assistant Lynnette Beadle at 919-435-9416 or [email protected].

For a complete listing of Wake Forest’s holiday events, visit http://bit.ly/WFChristmasEvents.