Wake Forest is getting ready to flip the switch on the holidays. The town has set its 2026 Lighting of Wake Forest for Friday, Dec. 4, running from 5 to 8 p.m. at Centennial Plaza, with Mayor Ben Clapsaddle expected to light the Christmas tree as the evening's centerpiece moment.
The announcement came by way of a Facebook post from the Town of Wake Forest, NC, which put it plainly: “The holiday season is almost here, and Wake Forest is ready to shine bright!” The post and its attached graphic place the celebration at Centennial Plaza, located at 301 S. Brooks St., right outside Town Hall.
Beyond the tree lighting itself, the town's post lays out a lineup of family-friendly activities. Imagine Circus is set to provide roaming holiday entertainment throughout the plaza, while the Endless Expressions Photo Booth will offer holiday photo opportunities for attendees. The Wake Forest Woman's Club will run crafts and letter-writing stations, and Santa is expected to make his arrival at the event.
Food, Music and a Downtown Tent
The evening is also planned to include performances from local groups along with food vendors and downtown restaurants, according to the same Facebook post. A Wake Forest Downtown tent will offer event information and free holiday light sticks while supplies last, with the attached graphic crediting the presentation to Wake Forest Downtown.
A separate snippet from a Town of Wake Forest event page describes the 2024 Lighting of Wake Forest, with musical performances along the South Brooks Street stage adjacent to Centennial Plaza by choral groups from Wake Forest iSTEM Elementary School, Heritage Elementary, and School of Rock Wake Forest. That same page lists roving LED performers and four food trucks on East Owen Avenue for the 2024 event. A snippet from the town's Tis the Season page similarly lists the event at Centennial Plaza, 301 S. Brooks St., running Dec. 4 from 5 to 8 p.m.
How This Year Compares
Last year's version of the event looked similar in structure. For the 2025 Lighting of Wake Forest, a town announcement noted that Mayor Vivian Jones was scheduled to light the town's 30-foot-tall Christmas tree in Centennial Plaza at approximately 6:20 p.m., with musical performances also planned along the South Brooks Street stage.
Event details and parking information for the 2026 celebration are being directed to the town's event page, per the Facebook announcement. The town's event page offers more information about the celebration.
