Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Wake Forest for 2026. Santa arrives for the Lighting of Wake Forest at Town Hall on Friday, December 4, Joyner Park glows every evening from December 5 to 31, and Santa phones local kids at home on December 10. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our North Carolina Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Wake Forest
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Wake Forest
- Lighting of Wake Forest: Friday, December 4, 5 to 8 pm, free
- Joyner Park lights walk: nightly December 5 to 31, 6 to 9 pm
- Calls from Santa: December 10, ages 3 to 9, register by December 7
- Every date checked on the Town of Wake Forest site on Nov 11
What are you looking for?
All 3 events
Nothing matches yet. Try another kind of event, or .
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Wake Forest events researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Wake Forest.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Wake Forest before they fill up.
- Start your magical Christmas season now Every event appears the moment you enter your email.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Waiting inside
- 2 Santa
- 2 Lights
- 3 Free
Enter your email and all will appear instantly.
The Christmas magic awaits
Enter your email to get Christmas event notifications all season long and unlock the details on 2 Christmas events in Wake Forest.
- New events in Wake Forest every week
- Exclusive access to free events
- Your magical Christmas season starts now
- Christmas Eve Express and free advent calendar
- One-tap add to calendar
Free Christmas events for kids in Wake Forest
Tree lightingFree
2026 Lighting of Wake Forest
- When: Friday, December 4, 2026, 5 to 8 pm (tree lighting usually around 6:15 pm)
- Where: Centennial Plaza, Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., Wake Forest, NC 27587 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The town lights its Christmas tree in Centennial Plaza beside Town Hall, and Santa Claus makes his arrival as part of the ceremony.
The Wake Forest Woman’s Club runs children’s crafts and a letter-to-Santa table, circus performers roam the plaza, and local school choruses sing while food trucks line up nearby.
Parent tip: Grab a free light stick at the Downtown tent early, since they go while supplies last, and park free at the Center for Active Aging.
- Host
- Town of Wake Forest (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Centennial Plaza, Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., Wake Forest, NC 27587 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Wake Forest events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Wake Forest daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Wake Forest.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Wake Forest events researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Wake Forest.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Wake Forest before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 2 Santa
- 2 Lights
- 3 Free
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Wake Forest every week.
Lights walkFree
Evening Holiday Walk at Joyner Park
- When: Nightly from Saturday, December 5 to Thursday, December 31, 2026, 6 to 9 pm
- Where: E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Wake Forest Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources strings lights through the crepe myrtles and shrubs of Joyner Park’s Walker Garden and Performance Garden.
A Christmas tree close to 20 feet tall stands on the Performance Garden stage, which makes the walk an easy after-dinner stroll and a good spot for a family photo.
Parent tip: The paths are short and flat enough for a stroller, so this works well on a school night when little ones only have half an hour in them.
- Host
- Wake Forest Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Wake Forest events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Wake Forest daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Wake Forest.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Phone call from SantaFree
Calls from Santa
- When: Thursday, December 10, 2026, 6 to 8 pm (forms open November 23 and are due by 5 pm on December 7)
- Where: Your home phone (local numbers only), Wake Forest, NC (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free, registration required
- Ages: Ages 3 to 9
Expand to see the parent tip
Santa picks up the phone for Wake Forest kids ages 3 to 9, calling each registered child at home on one December evening.
Parents fill in a registration form online or drop it at the Joyner Park Community Center or Town Hall, and there is no charge as long as the number is local.
Parent tip: Santa calls from an unknown or blocked number, so switch off any call blocking on your phone between 6 and 8 pm that night.
- Host
- Wake Forest Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Your home phone (local numbers only), Wake Forest, NC (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Wake Forest events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Wake Forest daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Wake Forest.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our North Carolina Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Wake Forest Christmas event for kids happens
Make December 4 your downtown night for the tree and Santa, fill in the Calls from Santa form as soon as it opens on November 23, and save Joyner Park for any clear evening later in the month.
- 2026 Lighting of Wake ForestWake Forest · Dec 4
- Evening Holiday Walk at Joyner ParkWake Forest · Dec 5 to Dec 31
- Calls from SantaWake Forest · Dec 10
Looking further afield? Our North Carolina Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Apex. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonKeep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every North Carolina city.
Wake Forest Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Wake Forest this year?
Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 Christmas events for kids in Wake Forest for 2026: the Lighting of Wake Forest on December 4, the Evening Holiday Walk at Joyner Park from December 5 to 31, and Calls from Santa on December 10.
When is the Lighting of Wake Forest in 2026?
Friday, December 4, 2026, from 5 to 8 pm in Centennial Plaza at Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. The tree is usually lit around 6:15 pm and Santa arrives as part of the ceremony.
Is the Joyner Park holiday walk free?
Yes. The Evening Holiday Walk at E. Carroll Joyner Park is free and open nightly from 6 to 9 pm, December 5 through December 31, 2026.
How do Calls from Santa work in Wake Forest?
Kids ages 3 to 9 get a call from Santa on Thursday, December 10, 2026, between 6 and 8 pm. Registration forms open November 23 and must be in by 5 pm on December 7. It is free, but the number must be local.
Who do I contact about Wake Forest holiday events?
For the tree lighting, contact cgutierrez@wakeforestnc.gov. For Calls from Santa, contact the special events team at cweidner@wakeforestnc.gov.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in North Carolina?
Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s North Carolina Christmas train rides page.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked Wake Forest on November 11, 2026. Rally is also contacting each organizer to confirm details like parking, restrooms and bad-weather plans.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.