2026 State of the Town Address & Dinner
Monday, Feb. 16 ~ 6 pm
Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.
The 2026 Wake Forest State of the Town Address & Dinner is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.
Since 2009 the Town of Wake Forest has partnered with the Wake Forest Rotary Club to sponsor the annual State of the Town Address and Dinner on the third Monday in February. The occasion offers Wake Forest citizens the opportunity to reflect on the Town's list of accomplishments during the previous year and learn about its goals in the coming months.
In addition to Mayor Ben Clapsaddle's State of the Town address, the evening will include a catered meal.
Several state and local elected officials typically attend, including members of the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners, Wake County Commissioners, and state legislators.
Ticket Information
Tickets are sold out.
Menu
Cannon Catering will prepare the following menu: Salad - Strawberry Romaine Salad with Mixed Greens, Sliced Red Onions, Fresh Strawberries, Toasted Pecans, and House Poppyseed Dressing
Chicken Piccata with Lemon, White Wine, Caper Sauce; Served Buffet - Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Peach Bourbon Glaze, Garlic Parmesan Cream Pasta, Fresh Vegetable Sauté,
Homemade Rolls and Butter, Sweetened and Unsweetened Tea, Lemonade, Iced Water with Orange Slices; Dessert - Southern Chocolate Chess Pie with Whip, Lemon Almost Heaven Italian Cream Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Attend Without a Ticket
Area residents are invited to attend the State of the Town Address without purchasing a ticket. Please arrive between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. at the conclusion of the dinner portion of the program. The mayor's address typically begins between 6:45 and 7 p.m.
Emcee
Our emcee for the 2026 State of the Town Address and Dinner will be CBS 17 Anchor Angela Taylor.
Originally from McKinney, Texas, Angela started her career in San Angelo, Texas at KLST where she worked as a producer, reporter and weekend anchor.
After a quick six months, she moved to Abilene, Texas to become the evening anchor at KTAB news. She was part of the news team recognized by The Lone Star EMMY chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the station’s commitment to news excellence.
Her next move was to Northwest Arkansas where she spent four years as the evening anchor, where she won an Emmy for best newscast.
Before coming to CBS 17, Angela most recently worked as evening anchor at WESH-TV in Orlando, Florida. While at WESH-TV she won an Emmy for spot news coverage of the Pulse Nightclub attack and the Edward R. Murrow award for Breaking News for its coverage of Pulse.
Angela is a graduate of Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a minor in English.
Taylor worked her way through Angelo State as a scholarship athlete playing on the women’s soccer team, serving as captain during her senior year.
In 2020, she earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida.
Watch the State of the Town Address
Mayor Clapsaddle's State of the Town Address will be replayed on Wake Forest TV 10 throughout March and April at 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. It will also be provided in streaming video on the Town website.
Community Support
A special thank you to our local contributors to the State of the Town Address & Dinner:
- Partner Sponsor - Wake Forest Rotary Club
- Table Centerpieces - Wake Forest Florist & Gifts
