Shop local in Wake Forest: Small Business Saturday Nov. 28, the Downtown Holiday Open House and Artisans Market Dec. 5, and Downtown Dollars gifts.

Last checked Oct. 23, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Dates come from the Town of Wake Forest’s holiday schedule of events and downtown pages. We list no prices or deals; check each store.

The big shop-local days in Wake Forest are Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28, and the Downtown Holiday Open House, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, when the Holiday Artisans Market also fills the Town Hall plaza. Black Friday is Nov. 27. Downtown’s independent shops sit along South White Street and South Brooks Street; the big-box stores are along Capital Boulevard (U.S. 1).

Who to call

  • Downtown events: Wake Forest Downtown, Inc., through the town’s downtown office
  • Town Hall: 919-435-9400, 301 S. Brooks St.
  • Police non-emergency: 919-554-6150

Holiday shopping dates

Date What Where
Saturday, Nov. 21, noon to 4 p.m. Wake Forest Cares Holiday Kick-Off Downtown
Friday, Nov. 27 Black Friday Stores set their own hours
Saturday, Nov. 28 Small Business Saturday Independent shops
Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Downtown Holiday Open House Downtown shops and restaurants
Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Holiday Artisans Market Town Hall plaza and visitor lot, 301 S. Brooks St.

Downtown Holiday Open House: Saturday, Dec. 5

Downtown shops and restaurants stay open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with holiday specials, crafts and pop-ups, according to the town’s Open House page. The 2026 lineup had not been posted when we checked; the town said details would follow. Last year’s included:

  • Kids’ ornament crafts, hot cider and cookies at Wake Forest Art & Frame Shop.
  • Cookies and cocoa at Arrow Tree Boutique.
  • A holiday wine cork craft at Unwined on White.
  • Pop-ups inside Wake Forest Coffee Company and The Yellow Butterfly, and a Wake Forest Pride gift-wrapping station at Jubilation Spa for a small donation.
  • Pictures with Santa, which needed advance registration and were not walk-in.

Holiday Artisans Market: Saturday, Dec. 5

ARTS Wake Forest and the Wake Forest Guild of Artists bring more than 40 artists and artisans to Centennial Plaza and the Town Hall visitor lot, 301 S. Brooks St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Expect pottery, jewelry, painting, fabric art, photography, woodworking, glass, candles and soaps, the town’s holiday schedule says.

Small Business Saturday downtown

Wake Forest’s historic downtown is mostly independent shops. A few from the town’s participating merchants list:

  • Gifts and NC-made goods: The Cotton Company, 306 S. White St.; Southern Suds & Gifts, 213 S. White St.; The Yellow Butterfly Boutique, 352 S. White St.; White Street Market, 412 S. White St.
  • Books, records and toys: Page 158 Books, 415B S. Brooks St.; Record Krate, 208 S. White St.; Magpie and Crow, 145 Wait Ave.
  • Clothing: Arrow Tree Boutique, 415 A S. Brooks St.; Next Consignment Boutique, 210 S. White St.
  • Art and frames: Wake Forest Art & Frame, 139 S. White St.; The Makery, 317 E. Roosevelt Ave.
  • Pets and hardware: EarthWise Pet, 416 S. White St.; B&W Hardware, 232 S. White St.

The town’s interactive downtown map shows every shop, restaurant and venue.

Gift idea: Downtown Dollars. They work like cash at participating downtown merchants and never expire. Buy them in $10 amounts at The Cotton Company or at Town Hall (use the customer service kiosk, then pay at the desk), or online for mailing, which adds a $10 shipping charge.

Black Friday store hours

Big-box and chain stores along Capital Boulevard set their own Thanksgiving and Black Friday hours and usually post them in November. We will add hours here as each store or shopping center publishes them; until then, check the store’s own website. Downtown shops generally keep their own hours, so check before you go.

Parking and getting there

  • The town’s downtown parking map shows the public lots.
  • For the Holiday Kick-Off on Nov. 21, the town’s event page points visitors to free parking at the Wake Forest Center for Active Aging and the seminary lots, both within a 15-minute walk of South White Street, with accessible parking in the Town Hall lot from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. East Owen Avenue and South White Street from Elm Avenue to Jones Avenue close at 9 a.m. and should reopen by 6 p.m. Its event map is still last year’s.
  • The town warns that some downtown lots that look public are private and reserved for business customers. Read the signs.
  • The social district lets shoppers carry a drink in an official district cup between participating businesses, noon to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

Related: holiday lights and Christmas events, Christmas parade and tree lighting, Thanksgiving in Wake Forest and new businesses.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Downtown Holiday Open House in Wake Forest?

The 2026 Downtown Holiday Open House is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at downtown shops and restaurants. It is free.

Is there a holiday craft market in Wake Forest?

Yes. The Wake Forest Holiday Artisans Market runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, in the Town Hall plaza and visitor lot at 301 S. Brooks St., with more than 40 artists.

When is Small Business Saturday 2026?

Small Business Saturday is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, 2026. Downtown Wake Forest has dozens of independent shops along South White and South Brooks streets.

Where can I buy Downtown Dollars in Wake Forest?

Downtown Dollars come in $10 amounts and can be bought at The Cotton Company, 306 S. White St., at Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., or online for mailing. They never expire.