It’s all merry in Cary, NC
If you don’t already know that Cary has a lot to recommend it, you’ll be in for a few surprises when you arrive. If you need just a couple of excellent reasons to get you started on your visit, here they are: The Mayton Inn and La Farm Bakery.
The Mayton Inn, a locally-owned four-diamond hotel, is designed to look historic but is brand new and has further brightened an already appealing downtown Cary. It sits across from the town’s library and soon, there will be a park next door. The forty-five room boutique hotel, with seven unique room designs, offers a high tech, environmentally sustainable atmosphere with a vintage, art deco décor. Relax at The Highball Bar and enjoy a southern-inspired meal at Verandah where the experienced chef works magic with cornmeal fried oysters with smoked corn and hominy succotash, and smoked pan seared pork belly with fennel, sweet onion, and local goat cheese. At breakfast, don’t pass over the caramelized apple pancakes with whipped butter and toasted pecans. Check into Tonic Remedies for one or more of the hotel’s luxurious spa services.
Don’t even think of leaving Cary without a visit to La Farm Bakery. Famed baker Lionel Vatinet has a passion for bread and, after just one introduction, so will you. Come into the French-style café and enjoy pastries, quiche, pizza, sandwiches, tarts, and artisan breads galore. Take a special loaf home. Vatinet loves to share his knowledge through on-site bread-making classes. Sign up before heading to Cary.
Cary was once a mere bedroom community for its large neighbor, Raleigh, but has now grown into the seventh largest city in North Carolina, housing large employers such as SAS Institute and becoming a destination in its own right. Visitorship swells with amateur sports such as USA Baseball. Cultural arts festivals such as Spring Daze and Lazy Daze also draw big crowds. Music fills the air at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre which attracts national and international headliners and as the North Carolina Symphony makes Cary its summer home. Explore the town’s history at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center (c1868), a former railroad hotel. Take in an independent film or an entire film series at The Cary Theater. Enjoy the patio and a meal at the Academy Street Bistro or a good old-fashioned hot dog at Ashworth’s Drugstore.
You’ll find Cary in the Triangle Region of the state with easy access to Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.
Upcoming events
▪ Beer & Bacon Festival, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, VIP Beer & Bacon Session: Noon – 6pm;
▪ REG Beer & Bacon Session: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., noon – 6 p.m., April 9: This all-you-care-to-taste extravaganza comes complete with the best craft beers for your tasting pleasure… and of course bacon. Guests enjoy a souvenir glass plus 75+ of their favorite international beers and wines. VIP Beer and Bacon Admission will host over 15 restaurant tasting stations (until 2pm) featuring the best restaurants in the Triangle. (VIP Beer & Bacon Session food tastings included, regular beer tasting session food is ala carte.) 2 tons of gourmet bacons will be griddled on-site (until 3pm). The Main Stage will host live music all day. All of this plus fun foodie exhibits and so much more! $29-$59. For more information visit http://boothamphitheatre.com/events/category/series/beer-bacon-festival/ .
▪ Brewgaloo, Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, April 22- 6–10 p.m.: $45 person tasting event; April 23 2-10 p.m.: Open to the public: by the pint or by the taste, April 22-23: Presented by Shop Local Raleigh, Brewgaloo is the largest North Carolina Craft Beer Festival including live music, and food trucks. Beer is sampled by the pour or by the pint. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/369294359941531/.
▪ Great Grapes Wine & Food Festival, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, 11 a.m.–7 p.m., April 23:
▪ Great Grapes! has grown to be North Carolina’s premiere casual NC wine festival with hundreds of wines available. Festival features 20 wineries, great live music, fun festival eats, arts and crafts and gourmet items, and free kids area. $20-$49. For more information visit http://boothamphitheatre.com/events/category/series/great-grapes-wine-festival/ .
▪ 23rd Annual Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival, Fred G. Bond Metro Park, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., April 30: Join us as we celebrate 23 years of Spring Daze in Fred G. Bond Park, Cary’s 310-acre urban park. Nestled under the shady canopy of Bond Park, Spring Daze features over 180 North Carolina artists, entertainment on four stages, delicious festival food and Cary’s annual Earth Day Celebration. Spring Daze features the best of North Carolina’s diverse arts and crafts community. For more information visit
http://www.townofcary.org/Departments/Parks__Recreation___Cultural_Resources/events/festivals/springdaze.htm
This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 1:00 AM with the headline "It’s all merry in Cary, NC."