Thanks for your support of the Wake Forest Fourth of July Centennial Celebration!
Fireworks, games, live entertainment, and a whole lot more awaited you at this year’s 4th of July Centennial Celebration!
Now in its 37th year, Wake Forest’s 4th of July Celebration is our area’s most eagerly-anticipated summer-time event serving up two days worth of fun and excitement for the entire family. And this year - since the festivities are a part of the 2009 Wake Forest Centennial Celebration - there was even more reason for you and your family to come out and help us celebrate.
The revelry got underway Friday, July 3 at Wake Forest-Rolesville High School’s Trentini Stadium.
Gates opened at 5:30 pm and admission was $5 per person. Children ages six and under were admitted free. Advance tickets were on sale at several locations throughout Wake Forest, including The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, The Wake Weekly, The Cotton Company, Wake Forest Health Club, NC Specialty Shops, Premieres Video, All About Hair & Nails and Aloha Tan. As a special offer, patrons could buy four tickets in advance and get the fifth ticket free!
PARKING
Handicap parking was available on the campus of Wake Forest-Rolesville High School but regular parking was limited due to on-campus construction. Additional parking was available, however, in all of the lots on the campus of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Also due to the construction, spectators were encouraged to pay close attention to the new gate entrance along Rock Springs Road.
FOOD & CONCESSIONS
Concessions, including hamburgers, hot dogs, Chick-Fil-A Sandwiches, cheese steaks, sausage & peppers, etc. were available at the Fireworks Extravaganza. Picnic baskets and/or coolers are allowed but were inspected by the Wake Forest Police Department before being permitted inside the stadium. No alcoholic beverages were allowed.
ENTERTAINMENT
The Band of Oz, one of the southeast’s most popular beach music bands and a 1997 Beach Music Hall of Fame inductee, once again headlined this year’s celebration. Other performances included Don Carrington’s Parachute Team, and the Friendship Chapel Choir.
But what would a 4th of July Celebration be without fireworks? Not to worry! This year’s fireworks spectacular was bigger and better than ever and certainly provided a thrilling end to an unforgettable evening.
CHILDREN’S PARADE
The fun continued on Saturday, July 4 with the annual Children’s Parade. The lineup began at 10 am at the intersection of North Main Street and West Juniper Avenue, near the Wake Forest College Birthplace. The parade began at 10:30 am along North Main Street. All area youngsters were invited to hop on their bicycles or be pulled along in a wagon as part of a “walking parade” designed just for them! Participation in the Children’s Parade was free, but bicyclists were requred to wear their helmets! 
ART-IN-THE-PARK/GAMES-IN-THE-PARK
This year there was one major change to the Children’s Parade. Rather than making a loop on North Main Street, the parade continued down to Holding Park for Art-in-the-Park and Games-in-the-Park.
Beginning at 11 am, children of all ages created a variety of cool arts and crafts projects, and joined in a slew of games and activities, including a watermelon seed spitting contest, sack races, and tug-of-war - just to name a few.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about this year's 4th of July Celebration, contact Rhonda Alderman at (919) 812-9121 or email her at fireworklady@aol.com.