Stanley Cup coming to Wake Forest, registration underway for photo op lottery

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7 years 8 months
September 24, 2026

WAKE FOREST, NC – The Carolina Hurricanes are partnering with the Town of Wake Forest to bring the Stanley Cup to Wake Forest! NHL “Cup Keepers” (sorry, no Canes players) will deliver the Cup to a location to be announced in Wake Forest on Friday, Oct. 2, from 12:30-2 p.m. 

Considering the tight, 90-minute timeframe, Town officials want to give as many local Canes fans as possible an opportunity to have their picture taken with the Cup. That’s why they’ve introduced a registration-based lottery system that will award 80 separate photo opportunities in Wake Forest’s 90 minutes with the Cup, while also encouraging teams of people (groups of 5-10 family, friends, neighbors) to have their photo taken together. 

Here’s how the lottery system works:

  • Anyone wishing to have their picture taken with the Cup must complete the online registration form at https://bit.ly/WFStanleyCupVisit no later than Monday, Sept. 28. Please note: One entry per person/group.
  • The form includes fields for the name and contact information of the person registering, along with the number of people in their group – and their names. 
  • On Tuesday morning, Sept. 29, Town officials will draw 80 entries to fill the 80 available photo slots. 
  • On Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 29, before 5 p.m., the Town will email the 80 lottery winners an admission ticket and complete details on their October 2 photo op with the Stanley Cup.
  • On Friday, Oct. 2, between 12:30 and 2 p.m. the 80 lottery winners (and their respective groups of family, friends, and neighbors) will have their photos taken with the Cup at the designated location. 

Disclaimer: Lottery winners are not guaranteed a photo opportunity. Town staff will be on hand to manage the photo process and will attempt to accommodate all 80 lottery winners. However, due to the strict time limit enforced by the Cup Keepers and the possibility of unforeseen delays, the Town cannot realistically guarantee a photo opportunity for all 80 individuals/groups. 

The lottery system is designed to ensure a fair process, manage expectations, and accommodate as many people as possible in 90 minutes. It is also intended to help prevent community members from taking off work and/or taking kids out of school unless they are one of the 80 lottery winners or in a lottery winner’s group. Please note: Although group registrations are not required, they are preferred as a way of accommodating the greatest number of people. For more information and to register, visit https://bit.ly/WFStanleyCupVisit.