The Lighting of Wake Forest is 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Town Hall; the tree is lit about 6:15 p.m. The town's 2026 schedule lists no parade.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Updated each year: the dates and the year in the title are refreshed in place every fall. Facts come from the Town of Wake Forest’s Tis the Season holiday schedule and its event pages, linked below.

The Lighting of Wake Forest is 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, in Centennial Plaza at Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. The town says the Christmas tree is usually lit at about 6:15 p.m., and Santa Claus arrives the same evening, according to the event page. It is free.

Is there a Christmas parade? The town’s 2026 holiday schedule does not list a Christmas parade. The big downtown gatherings are the Holiday Kick-Off on Nov. 21, the tree lighting on Dec. 4 and the Holiday Open House on Dec. 5. If a parade is announced, we will add it here.

Who to call

  • Town event questions: 919-435-9430, the office number on the town’s Lighting of Wake Forest page
  • Town Hall: 919-435-9400, 301 S. Brooks St.
  • Police non-emergency: 919-554-6150

The Lighting of Wake Forest: Friday, Dec. 4

The town says this year’s ceremony will feature the lighting of the Christmas tree and the arrival of Santa. The 2026 lineup had not been posted when we checked; the town said it would share it “in the coming days.” Last year’s event, as the town’s page describes it, included:

  • Children’s holiday crafts, free samples, a roaming photo booth and circus performers.
  • A story time from Page 158 Books and a community sing-along.
  • Music from the Endeavor Charter School Band, the Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary Chorus, Envision Science Academy and School of Rock Wake Forest.
  • Food trucks, plus the downtown restaurants.
  • The Wake Forest Historical Museum’s table on its downtown photography exhibit.

Parking: free at the Wake Forest Center for Active Aging and on side streets and public lots downtown. Accessible spaces are in the Town Hall lot at 301 S. Brooks St. Read the signs: some lots that look public are private and reserved for business customers, the town warns.

More holiday events in Wake Forest

All free unless noted, from the town’s holiday schedule:

  • Wake Forest Cares Holiday Kick-Off: noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, downtown. It opens the town’s holiday donation drive. East Owen Avenue and South White Street from Elm Avenue to Jones Avenue close at 9 a.m. and are expected to reopen by 6 p.m., based on last year’s event page. Free parking at the Center for Active Aging and in several Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary lots.
  • Downtown Holiday Open House: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at downtown shops and restaurants. Details. Pictures with Santa need advance registration.
  • Holiday Artisans Market: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, in the Town Hall plaza and visitor lot, with more than 40 artists, presented by ARTS Wake Forest and the Wake Forest Guild of Artists.
  • Evening Holiday Walk at Joyner Park: 6 to 9 p.m. nightly, Saturday, Dec. 5, through Thursday, Dec. 31, at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Lights in the Walker Garden and Performance Garden and a nearly 20-foot tree on the stage. Details.
  • Calls from Santa: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, for children ages 3 to 9. Forms are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, online or at the Joyner Park Community Center or Town Hall; no phone sign-ups, and calls must be local. Details.
  • Snowball Dance: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at the Joyner Park Community Center, for residents with disabilities ages 10 and older. $15, preregistration required. Details.

Nearby: Rolesville tree lighting

Rolesville, about four miles southeast, lists its tree lighting for 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, at Redford Place Park, with a 14-foot tree, a reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” an elementary school choir and photos with Santa, according to the Town of Rolesville. Parking is at the park and at Rolesville Elementary School.

What this means for you

  • Tree lighting: Friday, Dec. 4, Town Hall plaza; arrive before 6:15 p.m. to see the tree lit.
  • Make a weekend of it: the Open House and Artisans Market are the next day.
  • Expect downtown closures on Nov. 21 and plan to park at the Center for Active Aging.

More seasonal plans: holiday lights and Christmas events, things to do this month and trick-or-treat hours.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Wake Forest Christmas tree lighting in 2026?

The Lighting of Wake Forest is 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, in Centennial Plaza at Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. The town says the tree is usually lit at about 6:15 p.m.

Is there a Wake Forest Christmas parade in 2026?

The town’s 2026 holiday schedule, published on its Tis the Season page, does not include a Christmas parade. Its downtown holiday events are the Wake Forest Cares Holiday Kick-Off, the Lighting of Wake Forest and the Downtown Holiday Open House.

Where can I see Christmas lights in Wake Forest?

E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road, is lit from 6 to 9 p.m. nightly from Saturday, Dec. 5, through Thursday, Dec. 31, with a nearly 20-foot Christmas tree on the Performance Garden Stage. It is free.

Where do I park for the Lighting of Wake Forest?

Free parking is at the Wake Forest Center for Active Aging and on side streets and public lots downtown, and accessible spaces are in the Town Hall lot, according to the town. Some lots that look public are private.