Fireworks Spectacular & Children’s Parade Highlight Two Days of Fourth of July Festivities 

Fireworks, games, live entertainment and more await you at Wake Forest’s 2013 Fourth of July Celebration. Now in its 40th year, this community extravaganza is Wake Forest’s most eagerly-anticipated summer-time event serving up two days worth of fun and excitement for the entire family.

The festivities get underway with the Fireworks Spectacular on Wednesday, July 3, at Wake Forest High School’s Trentini Stadium, 420 W. Stadium Dr. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and admission is $5 per person. Children ages six and under are admitted free.

Advance tickets to the Fireworks Spectacular are now on sale at the following area locations:

• Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, 305 S. White St.
• Wake Forest Weekly, 229 E. Owen Ave.
• Ice Cream Cottage Cafe, 105 S. White St.
• Aloha Tan, 12223 Hampton Way Dr.
• All About Hair & Nails, 12223 Hampton Way Dr.
• Garden Market, 839 S. Main St.
• Cellar 275 at The Factory, 1839 S. Main St.
• Town & Country Hardware at Gateway Commons, 910 Gateway Commons Circle
• NC General Stores, 150 S. White St.

As a special offer, buy four tickets in advance and get your fifth ticket free.

The Band of Oz, one of the southeast’s most popular beach music bands and a 1997 Beach Music Hall of Fame inductee, will again headline this year’s celebration. Other highlights will include Don Carrington’s Parachute Team and an unforgettable 20-minute fireworks spectacular.

The patriotic revelry continues on Thursday, July 4, with the popular Children’s Parade along North Main Street. Area youngsters are invited to hop on their bicycles and be a part of their very own “walking parade.” The lineup begins at 10 a.m. at the intersection of North Main Street and West Juniper Avenue, near the Wake Forest College Birthplace. The procession will get underway at 10:30 a.m. Participation in the Children’s Parade is free, but bicyclists are encouraged to wear their helmets.

The day’s festivities will conclude at Holding Park, 133 W. Owen Ave., with Art & Games in the Park. Starting at 11 a.m., children of all ages can create a variety of colorful arts and crafts projects and join in a slew of games and activities that include a watermelon seed spitting contest, sack races, and tug-of-war – just to name a few.

The Children’s Parade and Art & Games in the Park are free and open to the public.

Android and iPhone users can have a handy pocket guide to this year’s Fourth of July Celebration in the palm of their hands by downloading the Town of Wake Forest app and using the app’s “July 4” function. Designed to provide smart phone users with useful information about all of the 2013 Fourth of July festivities, the function offers instant access to the Fireworks Spectacular, the Children’s Parade, Art & Games in the Park and more.

IPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Android users can download the town’s free app by searching for “Town of Wake Forest” on iTunes, in the iPhone app store, or in Google Play or by scanning the appropriate QR code provided at www.wakeforestnc.gov/app.aspx.

For complete information about Wake Forest’s 2013 Fourth of July Celebration, visit www.wakeforestnc.gov/july4.aspx.