Wake Forest Downtown

09/06/2026

Don’t forget to enter by September 14th for your chance to win up to $300 in Downtown Dollars! 🤩🎉

09/04/2026

👻✨ The spirits of Wake Forest are stirring… and they have a little something to say!

As much as we’ll miss those long summer days, we have to admit… fall is right around the corner, and we are SO ready! 🧡

🎟️ Ticket sales officially begin NEXT WEEK on Tuesday, September 8th! 🎟️

Mark your calendars, gather your bravest friends, and get ready to experience the haunted history of Downtown. 🌙🕯️

09/03/2026

🛍️ SUPPORT LOCAL. SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS. WIN BIG!

Whether you’re attending an event at The Wake Forest Listening Room, taking a class at Nourish Studios, indulging in a drink at Broadsides & Brews, playing a game with pals at Strike & Barrel, or celebrating pumpkin spice season at Plant Cakes Bake Shop, every purchase is a chance to support local!

Happening now until September 14, save your Downtown Wake Forest receipts and enter the Support Local Receipt Challenge for your chance to win up to $300 in Downtown Dollars!

Spend $30 or more across at least 3 business categories to earn an entry — and visit all 4 categories for 2 entries!

🍽️ Food & Beverage
🛍️ Retail
✨ Services
🎉Arts & Entertainment

Submit your receipts here: https://www.cognitoforms.com/TownOfWakeForestNC1/DowntownWakeForestSupportLocalReceiptChallenge

Prizes made possible by our Wake Forest Downtown 2026 Platinum & Gold Sponsors!

09/01/2026

ONE WEEK UNTIL TICKETS GO ON SALE! 👻

The spirits are stirring, and the countdown is officially on!

Join us this October for a chilling journey through Downtown Wake Forest as Firebox Theatre Company brings some of the town’s most haunting stories to life. From unexplained happenings to spirits who may still linger among us, you never know what you might encounter along the way.

Tickets go on sale September 8th at noon. Mark your calendars, gather your bravest friends, and get ready to discover the haunted side of Downtown Wake Forest.

Will you be brave enough to walk with the spirits?

Firebox Theatre Company

08/31/2026

When you choose to shop small, you aren’t just making a quick purchase or grabbing something off a shelf. You are directly supporting the real families living right here in our community.

My journey as a small business professional started right here at The Cotton Company years ago, calling out bingo numbers upstairs. Over time, I worked through almost every role in the building, such as sales associate, event director, and assistant manager, before eventually stepping into the general manager role. Managing this space while also running my own booth, West & Main Boutique, gives me a front row seat to how special our Wake Forest community truly is.

When you support local, there is no giant corporate machine behind the scenes. We see every single sale that comes through. For my family, that support directly pays for my kids’ dance lessons, covers preschool tuition, and keeps our everyday life moving. It stays right here in our town, flowing from one local family to the next.

Getting involved with Wake Forest Downtown has allowed me to serve on different committees, help plan favorite local events like Forest Fest and Spirits of Wake Forest, and even serve as last year’s board chair. Seeing all the passion and hard work that goes on behind the scenes to keep our community thriving has made me love this town even more.

I still remember coming downtown and dressing up in pearls and hats at the old tearoom when I was younger. Now, operating a business and serving in that same community makes it all mean so much more.

Building and managing a small business while also being a mom has been quite the journey, but showing my kids what is truly possible makes every single step worth it. I want them to see that with hard work, patience, and a strong community, you can carve out your own path.

- Marissa Shattuck

08/28/2026

✨ Every haunting has its season…stay tuned as we continue to share chilling snippets from our “retired” vault throughout the fall.

This year, we’re saying goodbye to the haunting story of Wake Forest’s old passenger depot. Once a bustling stop for travelers, the historic building now stands quietly on the edge of downtown—but those who step inside say it may not be as empty as it seems… 🚂👻

🎟️ Want to discover the new stories waiting in the shadows this fall? Tickets for Spirits of Wake Forest go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 8 at noon at wakeforestnc.gov (search “Spirits”)

📖 To continue reading this retired tale, visit the Town of Wake Forest website and search “Retired Haunted History.”

Firebox Theatre Company

08/26/2026

Supporting downtown means supporting the people, small businesses, and dreams that make our community special. 💕

Dolly Parton has always reminded us of the importance of staying true to who we are, working hard, and giving back to others.

As we remember Dolly and the joy she has shared with so many, let’s carry that spirit by supporting local, loving our community, and keeping our downtown shining. ✨

08/26/2026

“Spirits of Wake Forest” ghost walks return to Downtown Wake Forest October 1-30, tickets on sale September 8

Firebox Theatre Company

“Spirits of Wake Forest” ghost walks return to Downtown Wake Forest October 1-30, tickets on sale September 8

WAKE FOREST, NC - If you’re looking for a “hauntingly” good time this fall, then don’t miss the “Spirits of Wake Forest” ghost walk in Downtown Wake Forest. Presented by Wake Forest Downtown (WFD), Inc., in partnership with Firebox Theatre Company, these walking tours will be offered on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, October 1-30, according to the following schedule:

• Thursdays & Fridays - 6:30 p.m. & 8 p.m.
• Saturdays - 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

Downtown Wake Forest’s buildings and sidewalks have seen well over 100 years of history, and they have some eerie stories to tell! Join WFD, Inc. and Firebox Theatre Company’s incredible cast of storytellers to learn about the tragic train wrecks, frightening folklore, and restless spirits that make up just a small piece of Downtown’s haunted history.

Tickets are $20 each, go on sale at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 8, and must be purchased in advance at https://bit.ly/SpiritsofWF. Tickets sell out fast, so mark your calendars for this date and time! Please note: Tickets are non-refundable/non-transferable. Tours will take place rain or shine. Tours are recommended for ages 8 and up, but younger children are welcome at their parents’ discretion. Any attendees under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult. As much as we love your furry family members, we respectfully ask that you please leave your pets at home.

Lasting approximately one hour and 15 minutes, each tour will take place in Historic Downtown Wake Forest’s business district, primarily along South White Street. Tour groups will meet outside Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., and the tours will begin promptly at the scheduled time. Tours are within the business district only and will not include private residences.

A special thanks to our 2026 WFD, Inc. sponsors: Platinum - Cameron Family CPAs, Professional Touch Paint, Town of Wake Forest. Gold - Brightspeed Fiber Internet, Johnson Hyundai of Wake Forest, Renewal by Anderson, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Hamlet Quail Crossing, The Knotty Sheep, True Insight Direct Care, The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce. Silver - Daniels Financial Partners-Raymond James, Fidelity Bank, Furman CPA, MK Creative Arts Studio, Piedmont Federal Bank, RE/MAX Legacy, Renovation Sells, and Warren, Shackleford, & Thomas Attorneys.

Spirits of Wake Forest is planned and hosted by a volunteer committee, and all proceeds from ticket sales will serve as donations to WFD, Inc. Our organization’s mission is to strengthen community connections, champion local businesses, and preserve the charm and vitality of downtown Wake Forest. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/SpiritsofWF or email Downtown Development Specialist Camryn Gutierrez at [email protected].