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North Carolina events › Triangle › Cary

Cary, NC is a Wake County town with more than 100 miles of paved greenways, Koka Booth Amphitheatre and a seven-acre downtown park. Below: upcoming events, parks, food, history and estimated drive times, all from official town and venue pages.

Kids playing in a park fountain beside brick shops, café tables under string lights and a classic red convertible

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  • CountyWake Countyofficial town pages
  • 2025 Estimate183,582Census Bureau estimate
  • Growth Since 2020+5.0%estimate vs April 2020 base
  • To RTPabout 19 minestimate, no traffic

About Cary

The Town of Cary calls itself "at the heart of central North Carolina's renowned Triangle region." It was incorporated in 1871, and its roots go back to a 1750s settlement called Bradford's Ordinary.

Greenways are the headline: the town marks "more than 100 miles of paved greenway trails," reached in March 2026, and says the network anchors the Triangle's 300-plus-mile regional system. The first greenway was built in 1979.

Big draws include Koka Booth Amphitheatre (concerts and the Chinese Lantern Festival), The Cary Theater, the Cary Arts Center, the Page-Walker Arts and History Center, WakeMed Soccer Park and the USA Baseball National Training Complex. Downtown Cary Park covers seven acres at Academy, Walker, Park and Walnut Streets, and GoCary buses are fare-free.

Growth: The town's own history page: "With the development of Research Triangle Park in the 1960s, Cary grew from a quiet town of a few thousand people to a booming bedroom community." The population nearly tripled in the 1970s, to 21,763, then doubled in the 1980s and again in the 1990s. Census Bureau estimates put Cary at 183,582 people in July 2025, +5.0% since April 2020. See Triangle growth towns.

Anything marked “Not confirmed” was not stated on an official page when we looked on November 3, 2026. Check with the town, venue or business before you go.

Cary Events

This list updates itself from our checked North Carolina calendar: past events drop off each day. Every date was read on an official town, venue or organizer page; times or prices the page did not state say so.

62 upcoming events in Cary on our checked calendar, next up: Concert Singers of Cary presents (Nov 6); Old North State Story Telling Festival: Showcase 1 (Nov 6); Cary Farmers Market (Nov 7).

This list is rebuilt from our North Carolina events dataset (calendar last re-checked Nov 3, 2026). Every date and price was read on the organizer’s own page; “See event page” means the organizer does not publish one. Plans change, so check the organizer’s page before you drive.

62Upcoming
6This Weekend
4Free to Enter
1Venues With Guides

Cary This Weekend (Nov 7-8, 2026)

EventWhenWherePrice
Cary Farmers MarketSat, Nov 7 (9:00 AM-12:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Old North State Story Telling Festival: Sensory Friendly ShowcaseSat, Nov 7 (10:30 AM-12:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Old North State Story Telling Festival: Showcase 2Sat, Nov 7 (1:30 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Old North State Story Telling Festival: Showcase 3Sat, Nov 7 (7:30 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Solar Sustainability TourSat, Nov 7 (10:00 AM-11:30 AM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Paint the PageSun, Nov 8 (1:00 PM-5:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page

Upcoming Cary Events

EventWhenWherePrice
Concert Singers of Cary presentsFri, Nov 6 (7:30 PM-9:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Old North State Story Telling Festival: Showcase 1Fri, Nov 6 (7:30 PM-9:30 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Cary Farmers MarketSat, Nov 7 (9:00 AM-12:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Old North State Story Telling Festival: Sensory Friendly ShowcaseSat, Nov 7 (10:30 AM-12:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Old North State Story Telling Festival: Showcase 2Sat, Nov 7 (1:30 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Old North State Story Telling Festival: Showcase 3Sat, Nov 7 (7:30 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Solar Sustainability TourSat, Nov 7 (10:00 AM-11:30 AM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Paint the PageSun, Nov 8 (1:00 PM-5:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Veterans Day ObservanceWed, Nov 11 (11:00 AM-12:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
ACC Men's Soccer SemifinalsThu, Nov 12 (5:30 PM-10:30 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
ACC Women's Soccer SemifinalsThu, Nov 12 (11:00 AM-4:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Hayde Bluegrass OrchestraSat, Nov 14 (7:30 PM-9:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Indie Film Producing: Understanding Film LogisticsSat, Nov 14 (10:00 AM-1:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
ACC Men's Soccer ChampionshipSun, Nov 15 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
ACC Women's Soccer ChampionshipSun, Nov 15 (12:00 PM-3:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Native Plant Learn & ServeWed, Nov 18 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Comedy Show: Lace Larrabee and Jason Allen KingFri, Nov 20 (8:00 PM-10:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Diamante presentsSat, Nov 21 (6:00 PM-8:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Residential Solar WebinarWed, Dec 2 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Cary Players presentsDec 3-6 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Legacy of Jazz: My Favorite Things featuring Shana TuckerDec 3-4 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Gifting Tree ProjectDec 5-20 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Gingerbread Competition Our guideDec 5-13 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Tree Lighting CelebrationSat, Dec 5 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Victorian Christmas at the Page-WalkerSat, Dec 5 (2:00 PM-5:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Meet the ArtistsSun, Dec 6 (2:00 PM-4:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Hanukkah Menorah LightingMon, Dec 7 (5:30 PM-6:30 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Concert Singers of Cary presents Holiday PopsTue, Dec 8 (7:30 PM-9:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
The Really Terrible Orchestra of the Triangle (RTOOT) presentsWed, Dec 9 (7:30 PM-9:30 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
NCAA Women's College Cup, National Semifinal MatchesThu, Dec 10 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Cary Town Band presentsFri, Dec 11 (7:30 PM-9:30 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
NCAA Men's College Cup, National Semifinal MatchesFri, Dec 11 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Cary Jaycees Christmas ParadeSat, Dec 12 (2:00 PM-4:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Grinch Candy Cane HuntSat, Dec 12 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
NCAA Women's College Cup, National Championship MatchSun, Dec 13 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
NCAA Men's College Cup, National Championship MatchMon, Dec 14 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Cary Ballet Company presents (Nutcracker run)Dec 17-20 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
PopUp Broadway: Holiday ShowFri, Dec 18 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Kwanzaa Arts & CraftsSat, Dec 19 (1:00 PM)Cary · TriangleFree
Kwanzaa PoeticsSat, Dec 19 (5:00 PM-7:30 PM)Cary · TriangleFree
Kwanzaa Story TimeSat, Dec 19 (12:00 PM)Cary · TriangleFree
The Proud Family 'Seven Days of Kwanzaa'Sat, Dec 19 (12:30 PM)Cary · TriangleFree
Motown & Soul Christmas presented by Pure Life Theatre and Town of CaryDec 22-23 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Celebrating KwanzaaWed, Dec 30 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Community Lantern ParadeFri, Jan 1, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
First WalkFri, Jan 1, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
MLK Dreamfest weekendJan 15-18, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
GLOWJan 17-24, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Darin and Brooke AldridgeFri, Jan 29, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Cary Town Band presentsFri, Feb 5, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
BHM Annual Valentine's Weekend ConcertSat, Feb 13, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Legacy of Jazz: Make Someone HappySat, Feb 13, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
The Willie Hinton Dance Collective Tribute to Chuck 'Baba' DavisSat, Feb 27, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Marvelous Music Series: Alysha BrillaFri, Mar 5, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Legacy of Jazz: I WishSat, Mar 6, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Tobacco Road Marathon and Half Marathon (17th running)Sun, Mar 14, 2027 (Sun 7:00 AM start at USA Baseball, 7445 Green Hope School Road)Cary · TriangleSee event page
Cary Town Band presentsFri, Apr 2, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Marvelous Music Series: The Spicy PicklesSat, Apr 3, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Pimento Cheese FestivalSat, Apr 10, 2027 (11:00 AM-4:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Science in the SpillwayApr 10-17, 2027 (Time not confirmed on the official page)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page
Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival (with Earth Day Lane)Sat, Apr 24, 2027 (9:00 AM-5:00 PM)Cary · TrianglePrice not confirmed on the official page

Running for Weeks in Cary

Not checked for each date: these run for weeks, and some open only on certain days or nights.

EventWhenWherePrice
North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival (11th year) Our guideNov 21-Jan 10, 2027Cary · TriangleSee event page

Cary Events by Month

Venues in Cary

More nearby: The Triangle, NC.

Annual Events and Unconfirmed Dates

These return each year or had a date we could not fully confirm. The date shown is the last one an official page printed; plan with the organizer, not with this table.

EventLast Or Listed DateVenueStatus
Cary Dog Daze and Pet Expo2026-05-02Cary Police DepartmentAnnual; next date not announced
Juneteenth Celebration (Freedom Dance)2026-06-20Downtown Cary ParkAnnual; next date not announced
Independence Day Celebration2026-07-04Koka Booth AmphitheatreAnnual; next date not announced
Greater Triangle Asia Fest2026-09-19Koka Booth AmphitheatreAnnual; next date not announced
Diwali celebration (Hum Sub Diwali)2026-10-10Koka Booth AmphitheatreAnnual; next date not announced
Tom Segura: Preposterous2027-05-08Koka Booth AmphitheatreNot confirmed: year not printed

Things to Do in Cary

PlaceTypeAddressHoursWhat It Is
Cary Arts CenterArts Venue101 Dry AvenueNot confirmedDowntown arts hub in the town's first public school building: 431-seat theatre, gallery exhibitions, studio classes and performances.
Page-Walker Arts & History CenterHistoric SiteNot confirmedCall ahead to confirm gallery hours (as stated on page)Restored 1870s Page-Walker Hotel, on the National Register since 1979, with galleries, classes and the Cary Heritage Museum.
Cary Heritage MuseumMuseumThird floor, Page-Walker Arts and History CenterNot confirmedLocal history museum with oral-history listening stations and artifacts including a World War I uniform.
The Cary TheaterArts Venue122 E. Chatham St., Cary, NC 27511Not confirmedFilm and live-events venue: films, live shows, film series, BEYOND: The Cary Film Festival.
Koka Booth AmphitheatreArts Venue8003 Regency Parkway, Cary, NC 27518Box office: Nov 18-20 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; festival box office Nov 21-Jan 10, 2-9 p.m.Lakeside outdoor amphitheatre for touring concerts and festivals, including the NC Chinese Lantern Festival.
Sertoma Amphitheatre at Bond ParkArts Venue801 High House RdNot confirmedOutdoor amphitheatre inside Bond Park, available to rent.
Cary Action SportsAttraction2040 NW Maynard RoadWed/Fri 9-10 p.m. (riders 18+); Sat/Sun 12-1 p.m. (riders 12 and under) – these are the posted…Indoor and outdoor skate and bike facility in Godbold Park. Outdoor skate park may close if wet.
Cary Tennis ParkAttractionNot confirmedClubhouse open seven days a week, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.32 championship courts, including a stadium court with seating and seven covered courts.
The HiveAttraction712 Slash Pine DriveNot confirmed2,000 sq. ft. multipurpose community space in western Cary with arts, exercise and STEM programs for all ages.
Cary Farmers MarketMarketNot confirmedSat Nov 7, 2026: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. (listed calendar entry); regular schedule Not confirmedFarmers market listed on the Town of Cary events calendar.
Downtown CaryDowntownDowntown Cary, NCNot confirmedWalkable downtown district of shops, restaurants, the Arts Center, The Cary Theater and Downtown Cary Park, with fare-free GoCary bus service.

Parks and Greenways

PlaceTypeAddressHoursCostDogs
Fred G. Bond Metro ParkPark801 High House RoadGates open by 7:30 a.m. and close at sunsetNot confirmedNot confirmed
Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve and Stevens Nature CenterNature Preserve2616 Kildaire Farm RoadOpen 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.Not confirmedPets must be on a 6-foot leash; keep dogs on the trail
Downtown Cary ParkPark327 S. Academy St.Barkyard dog park open daily 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; other park hours: Not confirmedBarkyard requires an annual membership or day pass (price…Barkyard dog park has separate large and small dog areas; pass and…
Veterans Freedom ParkParkNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed
Bryson Nature PreserveNature PreserveNot confirmed (Earnest Jones Road, Chatham County)Not confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed
Robert V. Godbold ParkPark2050 N.W. Maynard RoadSunrise to sunset; lighted areas extended up to 30 minutes after approved activity or 11 p.m.Six lighted tennis courts free, first come first served;…Dog park on site, pass required
Jack Smith ParkPark9725 Penny RoadNot confirmedNot confirmedDog park on site, pass required
Carpenter ParkPark4420 Louis Stephens DriveNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed
Harold D. Ritter ParkPark301 Lochmere Drive WestNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed
Marla Dorrel ParkPark111 Thurston DriveNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed
Ed Yerha ParkPark1216 Jenks Carpenter RoadSunrise to SunsetNot confirmedNot confirmed
Urban ParkPark414 E. Chatham StreetSunrise to SunsetNot confirmedNot confirmed
Dorothy ParkPark720 Griffis StreetSunrise to SunsetNot confirmedNot confirmed
USA Baseball National Training ComplexPark7445 Green Hope School RoadSunrise to Sunset (lighted areas extended for approved activity)Not confirmedAll pets must be kept on a leash at all times, inside or outside the…
Black Creek GreenwayGreenwayNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed
White Oak Creek GreenwayGreenwayNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed
American Tobacco Trail (Cary-maintained Chatham County section)GreenwayNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed
Crabtree Creek Greenway (Cary segments)GreenwayNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmed

Food and Drink

PlaceTypeAddressAbout
Academy Street BistroRestaurantNot confirmedListed under Restaurants in the Downtown Cary directory.
Annelore's German BakeryBakeryNot confirmedListed under Coffee, Restaurants and Retail Stores in the Downtown Cary directory.
BREW Coffee BarCafeNot confirmedListed under Coffee and Restaurants in the Downtown Cary directory.
Big Dom's Bagel ShopRestaurantNot confirmedListed under Restaurants in the Downtown Cary directory.
Bond Brothers Beer CompanyBreweryNot confirmedListed under Beer & Wine in the Downtown Cary directory.
Bull City Ciderworks CaryBreweryNot confirmedCraft cider maker; directory says it uses 100% apple juice and its ciders are naturally gluten-free.
Di Fara Pizza TavernRestaurantNot confirmedListed under Beer & Wine and Restaurants in the Downtown Cary directory.
Hank's Downtown DiveRestaurantNot confirmedListed under Beer & Wine and Restaurants in the Downtown Cary directory.
La Farm BakeryBakeryNot confirmedListed under Restaurants and Retail Stores in the Downtown Cary directory.
Lawrence BarbecueRestaurantNot confirmedListed under Beer & Wine, Food and Restaurants in the Downtown Cary directory.
Once in a Blue Moon BakeryBakeryNot confirmedListed under Restaurants in the Downtown Cary directory.
Pastrami Tom'sRestaurantNot confirmedListed under Restaurants in the Downtown Cary directory.
Scratch Kitchen & TaproomRestaurantNot confirmedListed under Beer & Wine and Restaurants in the Downtown Cary directory.
Triangle Beer Co.BreweryNot confirmedListed under Beer & Wine in the Downtown Cary directory.

Drive Times From Cary

ToEstimated DriveEstimated Road Miles
Research Triangle Park (12 Davis Dr)about 19 minabout 10.5 mi
Morrisvilleabout 13 minabout 5.7 mi
Apexabout 19 minabout 8.6 mi
Raleighabout 24 minabout 15.2 mi
Durhamabout 29 minabout 18.1 mi
Chapel Hillabout 36 minabout 23.3 mi
Holly Springsabout 23 minabout 15.8 mi

About these numbers: populations for 2025 are Census Bureau estimates (Vintage 2025, July 1, 2025), not counts. Growth is measured from the Census estimates base for April 1, 2020, so it can differ from the raw 2020 census count, and it includes land a town annexed after 2020, not only people moving in. Drive times are estimates routed on OpenStreetMap roads with no traffic, from each town’s Census map point; rush hour is often much slower.

Cary History

WhenWhat HappenedSource
1750sA settlement called Bradford's Ordinary, where the town's roots begin.Official page
1854Frank and Kate Page buy 300 acres; Page names the place for Samuel Fenton Cary, an Ohio Prohibition leader.Official page
1871Cary is incorporated (April 3, 1871 per NCpedia).Official page
1970sGrowth after Research Triangle Park: the population nearly triples to 21,763.Official page
1979The Page-Walker Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the first greenway is built.Official page
2026The greenway system passes 100 miles.Official page

Frequently Asked Questions

How many miles of greenway does Cary have?

The Town of Cary says it has more than 100 miles of paved greenway trails, a mark it reached in March 2026.

Are dogs allowed in Cary parks?

Only a few town pages state a dog rule (Hemlock Bluffs, the Downtown Cary Park Barkyard and the Godbold and Jack Smith dog parks). Where our table says Not confirmed, check with the town.

How far is Cary from Research Triangle Park?

About 19 minutes and 10.5 road miles with no traffic, by our routing estimate from the town’s Census map point. Rush hour takes longer.

Is Cary part of the Triangle?

Yes. This guide places Cary in the Triangle region. See the Triangle region guide for every town.

Sources

  1. Town of Cary, About Cary (checked Nov 3, 2026)
  2. Town of Cary, Looking Back (checked Nov 3, 2026)
  3. Town of Cary, Greenways (checked Nov 3, 2026)
  4. Town of Cary calendar (checked Nov 3, 2026)
  5. Koka Booth Amphitheatre (checked Nov 3, 2026)
  6. The Cary Theater (checked Nov 3, 2026)
  7. Downtown Cary directory (checked Nov 3, 2026)
  8. NCpedia, Cary (checked Nov 3, 2026)
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates (sub-est2025.csv) (read Nov 3, 2026)
  10. OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads (drive-time estimates, no traffic) (computed Nov 3, 2026)

Checked November 3, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “Cary, NC”, itsnorthcarolina.com/cary-nc/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.

Printed from itsnorthcarolina.com on . Hours, prices and dates can change, so check with the venue before you go.