Wake County

Downtown Cary Park turns 1 on Saturday. You’re invited to the party.

Workers continue to assemble the apparatus surrounding two large sculptures of a male and female cardinal at Cary’s Downtown Park. The sculptures are located in a nature-based children’s play area called “The Nest.” Children will be able to climb inside and look out through their eyes, allowing an overview of the park.
Workers continue to assemble the apparatus surrounding two large sculptures of a male and female cardinal at Cary’s Downtown Park. The sculptures are located in a nature-based children’s play area called “The Nest.” Children will be able to climb inside and look out through their eyes, allowing an overview of the park. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com

Last November, Cary opened its downtown park with an ice skating rink, celebrity guests, plane flyovers and light shows.

Now, to celebrate Downtown Cary Park’s first year, the town is holding a day of events Saturday featuring “Greatest Hits” from the park’s programming calendar.

The 7-acre park, bordered by Walker, Academy, Park and Walnut streets, was 20 years in the making and cost $68 million.

Joy Ennis, general manager, said since opening, the park has hosted almost 900 programs with between 40,000 and 60,000 people participating and visiting the park each month.

A year of successes

The foot traffic has boosted local businesses, as visitors also go to nearby restaurants, hotels and boutiques, Ennis said.



The park has even driven investment in the downtown area, Ennis said. The renovated Rogers building has opened on East Chatham Street, along with The Albatross Golf Pub. Developments like the Jordan mixed-use project are in the works.


On average, the park schedules 65 to 75 programs a month.

“Our yoga classes have grown immensely with over 60 people in each class,” Ennis said. “It’s a nice indicator of successful programming. Registrations fill up in a hot minute every time we have a program.”

For Saturday’s birthday, Ennis said there will be a cake cutting, cupcakes, and singing of “Happy Birthday” by local musician and N.C. Central alumna Dupresha Lache Townsend.

At 5 and 7:15 p.m., there will be a 15-minute drone light show in partnership with Sky Elements that highlights the park’s Bark Bar, Botanical Garden, and The Nest areas

Food trucks, Poetry Fox and performances

Saturday begins with yoga at 9 a.m. at the park’s Academy Pavilion, followed by the regularly scheduled Cary Farmers Market along Park Street.

From noon until 8 p.m., there will be live music; photos with Belle, Tinkerbell, Moana and Spiderman; circus performances; face painting and balloon art. The Poetry Fox will crafts poems on demand on a typewriter.

Food trucks will be lined along Academy and Park streets serving food from Taco Neza, Brusters and TrySeafood Grill.

For a full schedule of the free events go to downtowncarypark.com.

This story was originally published November 14, 2024 at 12:58 PM.

Profile Image of Kristen Johnson
Kristen Johnson
The News & Observer
919-829-4532
Kristen Johnson is a local government reporter covering Durham for The News & Observer. She previously covered Cary and western Wake County. Prior to coming home to the Triangle, she reported for The Fayetteville Observer and spent time covering politics and culture in Washington, D.C. She is an alumna of UNC at Charlotte and American University. 
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