Spring Awaits

By Kara Loftin

As a child, I was fortunate enough to live in the greatest neighborhood in east Tennessee. There were lots of children, of all ages, and lots of great places to play. Most everybody knew each other, and everybody looked out for all the kids in the neighborhood. There were empty fields for softball, touch football, and soccer, woods big enough to explore, steep hills on which to ride our bikes, and neighbors to visit. My neighbor, Bart, was one of my best friends, and he had a dog that was rumored to be part wolf. Whether it really was part wolf or not, I’ll never know, but none of the kids ever went into Bart’s yard without giving Bear a wide berth. When my friend Gretchen and her family moved into the house at the top of the hill, one of our favorite activities became rolling down the steep hill in her front yard. Kim, my best friend for more than 20 years now, lived a few blocks away. It was always an adventure to ride our bikes to her house because she lived in another neighborhood connected to ours that was technically out of our boundaries. We never spent much time inside during warm weather, because there was too much to do outside.

Spring was always my favorite season. The warm weather meant that summer vacation (and three months of freedom from school) was on its way. But, it also meant that Bart, Gretchen, Kim, and I could play outside all day. The longer days and warm nights meant more time to play softball, ride our bikes, and climb trees. We knew all the best places to ride our bikes – the steepest hills and the flattest places to pop wheelies. We knew which families had the best swing sets and which families didn’t like us riding our bikes on their driveways. We’d play all over the neighborhood and looked forward to the day we could stay outside after dark to play hide and seek with flashlights, like the older kids did.

My family and I lived beside an elderly couple – Mr. and Mrs. Woolwine – that had fruit trees and a wonderful vegetable garden. One of our favorite activities was to climb their cherry trees that bloomed so heavily in the spring. I hadn’t yet made the connection between the blossoms and the cherries that came later. I just knew it was fun to shake the branches and make the petals fall down on my friends on the ground. The cherries were an added incentive to climb to the top of the trees, where no one had been able to pick the berries. We spent a lot of time in those trees.

As an adult, I have developed an appreciation for Mr. and Mrs. Woolwine’s patience with the neighborhood children. They had grandchildren of their own that lived out of state and we took for granted that they didn’t mind having kids around. However, I realize now that they must have worked hard planting their garden and maintaining those wonderful cherry trees, but never complained when we freely climbed their trees and ate fruit and vegetables directly out of their garden. Some of my favorite memories are of warm days spent picking cherry after cherry off their trees through the netting they had carefully placed on them to keep the birds (and presumably the neighborhood children) from getting to the fruit. I can still hear Gretchen say, “I’ll meet you at the cherry tree after supper,” years later. I’m not sure what happened to the Woolwines after my family and I moved away, but I often wonder if they realized how big a role their garden and trees played in my childhood.

Decades later, I am still fascinated by the changes that take place with the coming of spring. I’m not sure if it’s because of the time I spent in the Woolwine’s garden or the hundreds of hours I spent outside as a child, but each February and March, I start looking for the buds on the trees, anxiously awaiting the colorful blossoms on the trees and flowers. I find myself craving cherries and can’t wait for fresh vegetables plucked right from the vine.

I look forward to spring because it seems to make people bloom, too. The sunshine and warm temperatures every year draw us all outdoors, bringing out the best in people and creating a renewed camaraderie. We’ve made it through the winter and want to celebrate nature’s rebirth together.
This spring and summer offer a lot of opportunities to do just that in downtown Wake Forest. Three big events are happening downtown this spring and summer, in addition to the monthly Second Friday Art After Hours and annual farmer’s market, that give you lots of chances to venture outside and spend some quality time with your family.

Second Friday Art After Hours is still going strong, from 5-9 p.m., on the second Friday of each month. Bring your family out to eat at your favorite restaurant, visit your favorite downtown merchant, and enjoy the live entertainment.

The farmer’s market will also return to downtown Wake Forest this spring and summer. The vendors are all from the immediate area, offering locally-grown fruits, vegetables and plants, as well as some organic fare. The market runs on Saturday mornings from early spring to late fall and offers you a chance to support local farmers.

The first of the three big events in downtown this season is HerbFest. HerbFest 2005 will be held in downtown Wake Forest April 22-24, 2005. This event, sponsored by the Wake Forest Downtown Revitalization Corp. and founded by Bob and Elizabeth Johnson, is a plant and herb sale, as well as a family festival, featuring vendors from all over North Carolina and the southeast. There will be live plants and herb-related items for sale, a duck parade, specials at the downtown merchants and restaurants, face painting, and other family entertainment. Vendors will be set up in the gazebo parking lot on South White Street and each HerbFest attendee will get a goody bag full of coupons, brochures, and information from the restaurants, businesses, and merchants downtown.

The next big event downtown is Meet in the Street, held on May 7, 2005. Now in its 25th year, Meet in the Street is a Wake Forest tradition that brings thousands of people to downtown to buy from the vendors, see the local performers, and eat good food. Organized each year by the Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce, Meet in the Street is a great chance to celebrate spring, see your neighbors, and kick off the festival season.

And finally, Hoops for Wake Forest comes to downtown on June 4. This 3-on-3 basketball tournament is held on Brooks Street and brings lots of basketball players of all ages and their families to downtown. Hoops for Wake Forest donates its proceeds to local charities and organizations each year, and hopes to top the $100,000 mark this year – its 10th anniversary. Consider putting a team together to play, sponsoring the event, or just coming out to see and cheer on your friends and neighbors in this tournament that draws hundreds of participants annually.

Spring awaits. Return to your childhood and experience the season the way it’s meant to be – playing outside with your friends. Meet them in downtown Wake Forest for the farmers market, a special event, dinner, shopping, or just strolling and enjoying the beautiful spring weather.
You’ll be glad you did.

Kara Loftin is the downtown manager of the Wake Forest Downtown Revitalization Corporation. She may be reached at 441-9551 or kara@wakeforestdowntown.com. Visit the DRC’s website at <www.wakeforestdowntown.com>.