Wake Forest: Where Quaint Meets Cool

This article was written for our sponsor, the Town of Wake Forest

Been to Wake Forest lately? No? It’s time for a quick road trip.

In just over 20 years, Wake Forest has transformed from a sleepy village of 12,000 residents to a town of about 54,000, attracting people from New York, California, and everywhere in between. While residents are obviously aware of all that Wake Forest has to offer, North Carolinians are only beginning to realize the treasures this town holds.

What’s the draw? Come along, and discover a place where quaint meets cool.

It’s that small town feel

“One of the things that we hear from our citizens a lot is, ‘keep that small town feel,’” says Mayor Vivian Jones. “We are, by making sure that we honor our past while embracing our future.”

Wake Forest’s quaint historic downtown does indeed honor the past. At moments you’ll feel transported in time as you can shop for gifts at the North Carolina General Store, peruse comic books, records and books at independently owned shops and even walk around the town founder’s home at the Wake Forest Historical Museum. Yet, this small but vibrant town center also features modern-feeling cool boutiques, eateries, breweries and entertainment.

For lunch, try a hot dog at Shorty’s, a family-run business since 1916 and the oldest restaurant in the area.

Or grab a beer and some eats at White Street or Norse Breweries. Dine casually at restaurants and cafes offering pizza, tapas, and more. Sip a pick-me-up at a coffee house, wind down at a bar, or tame that sweet tooth at a bakery or the ice cream store.

You won’t find a brand name or big box store downtown — just unique shops, including an old-fashioned hardware store with owners who can help you find precisely what you need.

In each of those spaces you’ll also find a friendly face and welcoming smile, because in the end, it’s the people who make the place.

“You get a feeling that people care about each other,” says Ruben Wall, director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources. “They want to have a place where they can raise their family, and where they can work and play. Wake Forest is quite unique because it’s a place where all those things are possible, and more.”

Fun events for everyone

If you enjoy the buzz of a crowd, there are plenty of options.

The Farmer’s Market is open every Saturday, year round. From fresh foods and meats to locally procured honey and flowers, everything at the Farmer’s Market is produced within 75 miles of Wake Forest. Also, local musicians are often on hand to create some shopping ambience.

Love music? On the second Friday of the month, April through September, the town hosts Friday Night on White, a popular concert series that attracts up to 12,000 people.

Forest Fest on Saturday, April 15, is a family-friendly event, paired with an artisan market, a tree seedling giveaway, and more. And Meet in the Street — a hugely popular street fair — is the first Saturday in May.

Want more culture? The Renaissance Centre, the town’s performing arts venue, turns ten this year. The fourth Film Festival just ended, and AJ Croce is already sold out, but tickets are available for other performances and art exhibits, as well as musical theater, classes and dance.

Debbie Dunn, Renaissance Centre Director, says, “We like to think of ourselves as the living room of our community where people are invited to come and to share memories and create experiences.”

Check out the upcoming events calendar at the Renaissance Centre website. The theater seats 300, and tickets are affordable, so get yours soon. Events typically sell out.

Connect with the outdoors

Wake Forest also has space to play outdoors. Joyner Park is the flagship among the town’s 12 parks. It features three miles of paved trails, restored farm buildings from the 1800s, and the Walker Garden and pecan grove. The community center houses courts for sports, including basketball, volleyball, and pickleball.

Visit Flaherty Park to play more pickleball or tennis, watch a game at the athletic fields, or test your physique at a new outdoor fitness court.

Swim at the Holding Park Aquatic Center, which opens Memorial Day weekend for access to three pools, including two 34-foot water slides and an open swim area.

Due to open this summer is a newly designed 18-hole disc golf course, and the town’s first inclusive playground, accessible to people with limitations. Those in wheelchairs will enjoy the feel of a swing, and kids who need a little less mayhem will revel in the quiet areas.

Of course, opportunities abound for fishing, boating, hiking, mountain biking, and camping just minutes from Wake Forest at Falls Lake.

More is coming

There’s lots more to see and do in and around Wake Forest, so visit http://wakeforestnc.gov/ to plan your trip.

Soon you’ll be able to add to that list of experiences a sobering and educational visit to the restored Ailey Young House — a saddlebag house built for former slaves after the Civil War, and the only one left in Wake Forest.

Included in upcoming plans are a downtown skatepark and BMX Pump track. Within the next year and a half, greenway connections will allow visitors to walk or bike continuously to the Raleigh Greenway system. To fuel up for that journey, a food hall will be opening in the old Western Auto building.

Thanks to new housing and retail developments, Mayor Jones expects the number of residents in downtown Wake Forest to more than double within the next two years.

As visitors continue to increase, town leadership has made efforts to make public transit more affordable and convenient, so there’s no worry about where to park.

During rush hour, Go Triangle runs the Wake Forest Raleigh Express (WRX) at $3 a ride for adults. Jump on in downtown Raleigh or at Triangle Town Center and let someone else drive while you take a nap. Or, if you prefer to bring your car, find central parking and access the Wake Forest Loop bus for free. (yes, for free.) For both the Wake Forest Raleigh Express and the Wake Forest Loop, get maps and schedules here.

Whether you get there by bus, car, or bike, there’s something for everyone in Wake Forest.

This article was written for our sponsor, the Town of Wake Forest