December 11, 2023

🕯️ Light a Luminary with the Ronald McDonald House of the Piedmont Triad

The Go-To Winston-Salem

December 11, 2023

Window Wonderland

Have you seen the downtown businesses decked out with holiday decorations? You can vote for your favorite if it’s registered for Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership’s “Window Wonderland” Window Dressing Competition! See the link below.

Decorations at the Hungry Palate

Photo courtesy of Hungry Palate

  • What: Downtown businesses were invited to decorate their windows for the “Window Wonderland” Window Dressing Competition. This year, 29 businesses entered!

  • Prizes: Businesses can win in two categories:

    • People’s Choice Award ($500) - this prize is based on the community’s online votes

    • Celebrity Panel Award - a celebrity panel will choose the grand prize winner ($1,000), runner-up ($500), and honorable mention ($250)

  • Voting: You can vote once every 24 hours until Tuesday, December 19. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, December 20.

Greater Winston-Salem, Inc.

Join Greater Winston-Salem for Wake Up Winston at The Mast General Store on December 13!

What’s Wake Up Winston: A monthly event hosted by Greater Winston-Salem members at their places of business. Attendees learn about different local businesses and have the opportunity to network! Want to get involved in events like these in 2024? Become a member!*

Events

Tuesday, December 12

  • Handel’s Messiah - The Winston-Salem Symphony performs one of the most celebrated oratorios at Wait Chapel. 7:30 PM

  • Calligraphy Class - Sip & Script offers a beginner calligraphy workshop and ornament lettering at Foothills Tasting Room. 4:30 PM

  • Speed Dating - Meet new people at Joyners Bar and enjoy drink specials. 7 PM

Wednesday, December 13

  • Gingerbread House Competition - Compete to win a prize at Fiddlin’ Fish’s annual competition. 6 PM

  • Holiday Card Workshop - Create unique holiday cards while also learning the basics of laser-cutting and printmaking at Mixxer. 6 PM

  • Business and Breweries - Are you thinking about earning your MBA? Join current MBA students and program administrators for casual conversations about Wake Forest’s MBA programs at Foothills Brewpub. 5:30-7 PM

Thursday, December 14

  • Cupcake Class - Decorate a dozen cupcakes with holiday designs at The Canvas Cake Studio. All skill levels welcome. 4 PM

  • DIY Workshop - Learn how to create a holiday mantle or table centerpiece arrangement at Fiddle & Fig. 6 PM

  • Fun Run - Join Fleet Feet and run through the holiday lights in the Buena Vista neighborhood. 6 PM

  • Holiday Concert - The Salem Band presents “Down Home Christmas” at New Philadelphia Moravian Church. Free admission! 7:30 PM

  • Paw Crawl - The Forsyth Humane Society brings its pet-friendly bar crawl to ROAR’s end-of-year party. 5 PM

The YMCA of North Carolina

The YMCA of Northwest North Carolina raised over $70,000 at their annual Mistletoe fundraiser! All race proceeds benefit the youth in our community by providing financial scholarships and funding for YMCA youth programming. Missed the event? You can still give online!

The Numbers:
~ Total Mistletoe registration was 3,284
~ Participants from 28 different states and 3 other countries (Brazil, Canada & Germany)
~ 4.05% were older than 65 years of age, with the oldest being 84 years old
~ 33.89% were under 18 years of age, with the youngest being 1 year old!*

Other News

  • Hospital: Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist has implemented a temporary visitor restriction for children ages 12 and younger due to an increase in respiratory virus cases.

  • Community: Join Leadership Winston-Salem for a Leaders and Lunch webinar on Homelessness in Winston-Salem. The event is free to register and will be held online on December 19.

  • Learning: Did you know The Vecino Center for Language and Culture offers language classes? Upcoming classes include a Level 1 Spanish class for adult beginners and a Level 2 Spanish class for intermediate learners starting in January 2024.

  • Donate: When you purchase a Grab & Go meal from The Porch or East of Texas on December 13, these restaurants will donate a meal to Crisis Control Ministry! The ministry’s goal is to feed 1,000 community members this holiday season through these partnerships.

  • Energy: A new 70-kilowatt system of solar panels is being installed on the roof of the Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building. The project is expected to be completed in January 2024.

  • Support Local: Harvest Market, a community-owned grocery store, will hold its celebration event on December 14. The grocery store promotes sustainable living, supports local farmers and producers, and combats food insecurity.

  • Volunteer: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University, and HandsOn NWNC need volunteers for the MLK Day Read-In event on January 20, 2024. Volunteers will be paired with a child to lead them through various educational activities.

  • Closing: Tap That Axe Throwing will close at the end of the year due to its lease ending and the current state of the economy. Guests can still book a reservation to enjoy the experience before the business closes.

Light a Luminary

Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Piedmont Triad will host its annual “Light a Luminary” event on Sunday, December 24.

Light a Luminary

Courtesy of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Piedmont Triad

  • What: On December 24, luminaires all across the city will be lit in honor of Ronald McDonald House families. These are families from out of town who stay at the House while their children receive treatment in our community’s medical facilities.

  • Legacy: Our local Ronald McDonald House began lighting luminaries in 1987. Since then, the event has helped provide “a home away from home” for over 25,000 families.

  • Participate: You can purchase a luminary kit from local retailers, such as Buie’s Market and Southern Home & Kitchen. Find the complete list of retailers here.

Community Feedback

As we prepare to enter the new year, our team wants to ensure we continue bringing you content you both enjoy and find relevant. We cover various topics in our newsletters, but which is most important to you?

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SPONSORED
Upcoming Events

  • Hobby Mega Show - Browse through 350 vendor tables showcasing comic books, vintage baseball cards and toys, DC and Marvel collectibles, and more at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds on December 15.

  • Skate with Santa - Ice skate, take a picture with Santa, and enjoy hot chocolate and holiday music at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds on December 17.

  • Free Coworking - Enjoy a day of coworking, lunch, productivity, and networking with Flywheel Coworking's Community Day on January 24. Registration coming soon!

The Wrap

  • đźš‚ Did you hear? Winston-Salem might get a train route to Raleigh!

  • 🥪 It’s pretty chilly this week! This is the perfect time to get a delicious, warm sandwich; team member Jacob recommends trying out Theodore’s if you’ve never been.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS

The Go-To Partners