Good people of Cary,

This is a pretty big week for Cary.

Lazy Daze is celebrating its 50th festival this weekend, which means Downtown Cary is about to get very, very busy.

Just in time for that, a new paid parking lot has appeared at the former Modern Service property on Chatham Street.

Don’t want to pay for parking? You don’t have to. Check out the news section for information on where to park for the event for free (or info on the free shuttles).

A brand-new little market is opening tomorrow that I’m very excited about. I had the privilege to attend the soft opening and have more details deeper in this report. I think you’re going to love it!

Thank you for continuing to support local,

James

One of Cary’s biggest events is hitting a big milestone.

The Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival returns to Downtown Cary this Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23, for its 50th event.

More than 250 artists from 22 states are expected to participate this year, along with entertainment, food and beverage vendors, a beer garden, children’s activities, and more.

The first Lazy Daze was held on August 27, 1977. Between 1977 and now, Lazy Daze has only been canceled twice in that span: in 2011 due to Hurricane Irene and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Cary is celebrating 2026 as the festival’s 50th anniversary, dating back to that first event in 1977.

Getting There

If you’re going and planning on taking your car, go early. This is one of, if not the biggest, events Cary hosts each year. People come from all over to experience Lazy Daze and parking will fill up quick.

Luckily, it won’t fill up as quickly as previous years. Downtown Cary just dramatically increased its parking supply with the introduction of two new decks. You can find more info on where they are located here.

There are also free shuttles that will run from South Hills Mall and Green Hope High School from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

GoCary also remains fare-free and can take riders to the Cary Depot, which is just a short walk to the festival.

Additional reading: Cary’s Lazy Daze Info

There is a new option for parking on Chatham Street.

You just have to pay for it.

Modern Service recently moved from its longtime location at 158 E. Chatham Street to 410 E. Chatham Street near Urban Park. Its former property has since been paved, striped, and converted into a privately operated paid parking lot.

Parking at the old location costs $3 per hour, or $15 for the day.

This is not the first private paid lot to appear at this part of Downtown Cary. Another paid lot across the street, where Big Dom’s and Pro’s are located, was introduced a few months ago. However, customers of businesses in that shopping center can have their parking validated for free.

Another lot that introduced paid parking is right next to this new one. The old Perfect Piece lot was converted to paid parking earlier this year. Neither the old Perfect Piece lot nor the Modern Service lot has the option to validate parking.

The timing is very interesting, as public parking was just dramatically expanded in Downtown Cary.

There are now more than 2,000 free public parking spaces downtown. The Cedar Street, Walnut Street, Town Hall, and Academy Street parking decks are all free to the public.

The new Cedar Street deck is also an incredibly short walk from the former Modern Service property.

So I would not recommend paying $15 to spend a normal day downtown where there is plenty of free parking nearby.

But I can see the lot being useful during something like Lazy Daze, when downtown is packed and you don’t want to search for a parking space or use the free shuttle, or for someone who has mobility limitations and needs to be closer to their destination.

Also, it is very common for private properties to convert to paid parking after their tenant relocates or closes, which is exactly what happened with Modern Service and Perfect Piece, while the future of the property is decided. I wouldn’t expect this to be here forever.

But for now, Downtown Cary has another paid parking lot.

Additional reading: Parking in Downtown Cary

Downtown Cary finally has a small neighborhood market.

Douglas Provisions is opening Thursday, August 20, inside part of the Douglas Realty office on Chatham Street, next to the former Ashworth Drugs.

The new market is not meant to replace a full grocery store.

Instead, it fills a smaller gap that has existed downtown for years.

Inside, shoppers will find fresh local produce, milk, eggs, snacks and other everyday staples, along with North Carolina- and Cary-themed gifts.

That gives downtown residents and visitors somewhere to grab a few groceries without making a full supermarket trip, pick up a snack while they are already walking around town, or grab a souvenir if they are visiting the area.

It is a relatively simple idea, but one that fits the way Downtown Cary has been changing.

Restaurants, bars, apartments and entertainment options have expanded considerably over the past several years.

Basic everyday retail, however, has been slower to follow.

Douglas Provisions gives downtown at least a small version of the neighborhood market many people have been asking for. It is set up very nicely and I think a lot of folks will appreciate having this as an option.

The store officially opens Thursday, August 20, at 10 a.m.

Douglas Provisions
107 W Chatham St
Opens Thursday, August 20 at 10 a.m.

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What: Cary’s Summer Vibes series heads to North Cary Park with an evening of music, snacks, beer and activities for children.

Where: North Cary Park (1100 Norwell Blvd.)

When: Wed, August 19 | 6–8 p.m.

More Info

What: Koka Booth gets extremely British on Sunday. Squeeze brings its Tried, Tested and Trixies tour to Cary with Adam Ant and Haircut 100 joining the lineup.

Where: Koka Booth Amphitheatre (8003 Regency Parkway)

When: Sun, August 23 | 6 p.m.

More Info

What: Cary’s signature arts festival celebrates its 50th event with more than 250 artists, live entertainment on four stages, food and drink vendors, a beer garden, Kid Daze activities, artist demonstrations and anniversary programming.

Where: Cary Town Hall Campus (316 N. Academy St.)

When: Sat–Sun, August 22–23 | 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

More Info

Cary has a good amount of public art, but this mural is probably my favorite.

Along White Oak Creek Greenway, near Davis Drive Park, a pedestrian tunnel is surrounded by a large mural painted by Triangle artist Lisa Gaither. Cary commissioned the piece as part of the greenway connection between MacArthur Drive and Davis Drive, and it was completed in 2021.

The mural covers the headwalls on both sides of the tunnel. One uses a more realistic style inspired by the flowers, birds and other wildlife found along Cary’s greenways. The other shows silhouettes of runners and a cyclist, with White Oak Creek winding through the design.

If you want to find the mural, Davis Drive Park is probably the easiest starting point. The park is located at 1610 Davis Drive. From the parking lot, head down the stairs or slope near the soccer field and you’ll quickly reach the tunnel.

If you’re a runner, the out-and-back from Bond Park to this mural is almost exactly a 5K (3.1 miles). In fact, to get these pictures, I parked at the Bond boathouse and ran to the tunnel a few days ago.

After I got the pictures, I turned around and started running back.

And then I found another subject.

Not too far down the trail, I spotted a deer standing just off the greenway.

I thought it was pretty fun that, within about five minutes, I went from taking a photo of a deer painted on a mural to seeing an actual deer just off the trail.

And the whole thing is the perfect example of why I like Cary’s greenways so much. They are well traveled, safe and accessible, but are also surrounded by enough nature and wildlife to still give you that sense of awe you might get while exploring the wilderness.

White Oak Creek Greenway Pedestrian Tunnel Mural
Near Davis Drive Park
1610 Davis Drive
More Info

Thanks for reading! If you liked or disliked this report, feel free to reply and let me know! I love hearing from you.

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